Conquest of Evil - The Eye of the Storm
by Shadow Ranger
Summary: Minion is gone, the disaster was narrowly averted. But there are always costs. Even as the storm clouds move on, darkness is looming on the horizon and the Rangers must enjoy the peace while they can. As the Zeo Rangers recover from their ordeal, they must also contend with Lord Zedd and a group of new friends.
1. Shredded Peace

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic.

Time Scale: This story begins four weeks after 'The Minion of Darkness Saga'. I'd advise you read it, but if you really can't be bothered, just start reading here and you'll probably pick most of it up - it's hardly complicated.

Shredded Peace

It was a task that Tommy and Jason had grown to loathe over their time as leaders of the Power Rangers. Today it was Jason's turn to endure the hardship and face an enemy that he could not vanquish with the help of a Power Sword. The world press had assembled in Angel Grove, awaiting confirmation from the Rangers that the danger had indeed passed.

Given such an enemy, Jason knew that maintaining momentum was the key to victory. A moment of weakness, the smallest sign of indecision and they would attack. They were a cruel breed without the mercy he had seen Lord Zedd offer from time to time. In the press won this battle of wills then the Power Rangers would wish they were dead.

The Red Ranger appeared suddenly, White Ranger on one side and Purple Ranger on the other, both helping to convey the clear message that anybody wishing to attack their leader would have to get through them. As they stood waiting the crowd started to fire question after question at them.

"Red Ranger, why are there two sets of Power Rangers?"

"White Ranger, why has the Red Ranger taken command again?"

"Why have you returned to your original powers?"

"What are your suits made of?"

"Purple Ranger, are you single?"

Red Ranger raised his hand to speak, but the questions kept coming. In the end he nodded to the Purple Ranger. She produced a strange looking gun and fired at the ground. Ice crystals formed around the reporter's feet, causing them to shut up.

"Okay, you can stop now," Red Ranger said.

Purple Ranger released the trigger and both the blaster and the ice disappeared. All eyes were on the Rangers, wondering what would happen next.

"Thanks," Red Ranger said. "Your questions might be answered after I have finished this statement; they will definitely not be answered before."

Jason took a deep breath and then started to recite the speech Billy had prepared. What they needed now was a quick explanation so they could make a fast getaway.

"In recent times a new villain known as Minion chose to attack Earth. The Zeo Rangers needed assistance so they recruited a second team of Rangers. The Zeo Rangers were captured during a recent battle before the new team could be fully activated. Minion has been destroyed and the Zeo Rangers released. You may rest assured they are expected to make a full recovery."

"Wasn't a Ranger responsible for their capture?" one of the reporters asked

Jason took his time before answering. The duplicate Billy that had fooled them all had been responsible for a great many things. In a way the Rangers were disappointed that with Minion's demise the Nega Rangers had vanished. Jason knew he would have liked to have evened the score and he suspected his friends felt the same.

"One of Minion's creations was able to infiltrate our headquarters and sabotage our efforts. The Power Rangers are not infallible and we have been fooled. In future we will ensure we never make the same mistake again."

"What can you tell of reports that one Ranger was killed?" Anthea Trener asked.

Under his helmet Jason's face fell. Travis had been a good man, a noble lord and somebody that Jason had thought of as a friend. While he had never been as close to Trent and Travis as he was to Trey, he had come to appreciate them as individuals and not just components of the Gold Ranger.

"During his attempt to conquer the planet, Minion was responsible for the loss of many lives, both on Earth and on other planets." His mind turned to Aquitar and Triforia where the forces of darkness still threatened to snatch control. "All those that died at his hands were victims; nobody deserved to suffer through his evil."

"What was the victim's name?"

"No comment," Purple Ranger said. "Minion killed many people. As soon as we have a list, we will release their names."

"Red Ranger, Minion gave the Zeo Rangers a count of six in which to kill him. Why did they not take the opportunity to do so?"

Jason stared at the reporter; glad that she could not see the glare he was giving her under his helmet. Detective Park groaned at the question. Louise Marshall was not known for her tact or sensitivity. He really didn't like what she was suggesting about his son.

"Ms Marshall, you may not have noticed, but Minion did show the footage of the Zeo Rangers and others being tortured. As far as we can tell that was only the most recent session. After that kind of treatment their reactions were bound to be impaired. I wonder how you would have faired in those circumstances?"

"Excuse me Red Ranger, but I am not a Power Ranger. It is not my job to save the world. I just report the news." Louise glared at the masked hero, unsure if her words were having an effect. Just to be sure she added: "At least I seem to be able to do my job."

"Ms Marshall, the Zeo Rangers have risked their lives on a regular basis to protect this world and the freedoms we enjoy. I suggest you bear that in mind before criticizing them. We are only human."

The reporter looked like she was about to respond, but her partner decided to intervene and silence her.

"What about the other heroes who were held captive?" he asked.

"All those held captive, were released although I'm not aware of their condition."

Sensing the opportunity to end the interview the Rangers teleported away.

* * *

As the Morphin Rangers left, two figures emerged from the shadows, discussing all that they had seen.

"Did you hear that?" one of the men.

Both wore suits of heavy armour made from an alien metal, covered by the traditional black and purple robes that marked them as the High Masters of the Foot Clan, a criminal organisation that had started on Earth nearly a thousand years.

He was adopted the name Shredder after a legendary warrior that had terrorised the planet long ago. Whatever his name had been before his arrival was a mystery and something he was reluctant to share with even his most trusted servants. He had chosen to call himself Shredder, knowing that the name struck fear into the hearts of his enemies. His powerful body, hidden by enchanted armour, had been built as a means for him to move around in Earth's environment; in reality the Shredder's real body resembled a red brain with sharp teeth and tentacles encased in a very convincing shell.

Long ago he had fallen under the tutelage of the Jakanja, a clan of Space Ninjas that followed the demon Tao Zento. Under their influence he became a dangerous criminal. Eventually he had been captured by his people and sentenced to be imprisoned in another dimension. However he had broken free while being transported to Earth and forced the prison ship to crash. He had been the only survivor.

On Earth he had formed the Foot Clan and paved the way for a Jakanja invasion of the planet. They failed and were forced to leave the planet thanks to the efforts of the Shredder's formal captors. Deep in the mountains secret ninja schools had been training the planet's natives to fight the evil forces of the Jakanja. It was a tradition that had never ended.

For a long time the Shredder remained incapacitated, but twenty years ago he had been released and transported to America where he had come into contact with a young ninja student named Kiya Watanabe. He had made a deal with Kiya, offering him power and influence if the young ninja could steal an amulet from one of the school's students. Kiya had agreed and then foolishly, tried to use the power of the amulet for himself. The young fool had been banished from the Earth - for the ninja school and others like it had been started by those who had defied the Jakanja - and Shredder had been forced to find others to help him rebuild his organisation.

The man he addressed was called Oroku Saki, his junior partner in the clan. Using his influence, which stretched into the underworld and black markets of several countries, Saki had recruited the dregs of society to create an army of criminals. These thugs committed their crimes without attempting to hide their movements, covering the Foot's less obvious and more sinister activities.

"I heard," Saki answered. "The Power Rangers have suffered a defeat. They are weak in the eyes of the public."

"The public are sheep, led by the power of the newspapers and the opinions of the few," Shredder told his protégé. "They may lack faith in the Rangers, but they failed to notice that those they are familiar with did not attend the conference. Their heroes have been wounded more seriously than they realise; now is the time for our forces to take over. Then we will summon my allies and escape this miserable world."

"But what of those who replaced them?" Saki asked.

"They will not cause us a problem," Shredder answered. "They are new and untested. We will see how they fare in battle and then knowing their strengths, we will conquer and send them scurrying like rats."

"And then you shall have your escape and the Foot shall rule supreme," Saki finished.

"Exactly," Shredder agreed. He removed the front of his armour so Oroku could see his face, a rare honour for Oroku. "Come, we must ready ourselves for battle."

* * *

Tommy sat alone in the Training Room, surrounded by the practice droids he had systematically destroyed. It had become a habit, almost ritual in the weeks following the destruction of Minion. In that short time Tommy had worked tirelessly to rehabilitate himself from the injuries Minion had inflicted. Zordon had helped the Zeo Rangers to come to terms with what had happened mentally, but physically they needed rest, exercise, and plenty of time. There had been plenty of mornings when one of his friends had come in and seen him asleep on one of the soft cushions. Nobody wanted to claim that he was obsessive, but he was.

Not that he would be a Ranger for much longer. Graduation was approaching and after that the Zeo Rangers hoped to find replacements to take up the mantle; with Minion gone, the Machine Empire scattered and Rita and Zedd yet to resurface, their replacements wouldn't have much to worry about. All they were waiting for was the right time and for Billy to finish developing the new powers.

"Hey Tommy!" Rocky said, walking over to him.

"Hi Rocky, what's the problem?" Tommy asked.

The Rangers had decided after the first week that Tommy should not be left inside the Training Room for more than a few hours without somebody checking up on him. That had been the time that Tommy had pushed his limits too far and demorphed in the middle of the simulation. He had been lucky that Kat and Tanya had found him before the droids could cause permanent harm.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm just checking you're okay."

Some of the Rangers tried to find excuses to keep an eye on him. He lost count of how many times David had fallen asleep watching him lift weights under the pretence of spending quality time with his brother. Rocky was too upfront not to tell him why he was there and if pressed lecture him on the reason why the others just didn't trust him to remember the panic word.

Tommy looked at his friend shrewdly.

"You're bored, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Rocky admitted.

"Rocky just wants to have fun," Tommy teased.

"Hey, watch it, Tommy!" Rocky warned. "I happen to remember a certain Ranger who got into a car with a strange girl and..."

"Okay Rocky, I get the point," Tommy smiled.

"Good, so what are you doing?"

"Waiting for Zordon to decide he needs us," Tommy answered honestly/

Since there were now two teams of Rangers, Zordon had decided that one team would take the role of active duty while the other team were reserves. The Zeo Rangers had lost the coin toss, leaving them on the sidelines should any emergencies occur. ~Not that there have been any actual attacks recently,~ Tommy thought.

They had been really lucky to have the Morphin Rangers as their allies. Jason, Trini, Kimberly, Aisha, Zack and Billy were experienced Rangers, Sam had two centuries of adventuring behind him and whatever David lack in experience he made up for in his willingness to learn.

"Let's face it, it's been weeks since Minion attacked and no sign of Rita, Zedd or Mondo. I think we're starting to get bored," Tommy said.

Rocky nodded.

When they heard their communicators beep, neither team concerned themselves to find out who Zordon wanted and all teleported to the Power Chamber.

When the Zeo Rangers arrived they were disappointed to find Alpha watching the Morphin Rangers in battle against the Putty Patrol.

"Zordon, what happened?" Kat asked.

"A group of Putties appeared, but Jason's team have taken care of it," Zordon answered. "I have no idea whether Rita and Zedd have truly returned or whether this is just a rogue batch testing the planet's defences."

"Why didn't you call us?" Rocky asked, annoyed that they had missed the action.

"I didn't want to disturb you!" Zordon said. "I know that you have had doubts concerning your futures as Rangers and wanted to allow you the time you needed to reach your decision."

"Thanks, I think."

They all laughed at the comment and walked over to watch the view screen. Alpha moved back to let them all see.

On the screen, Green Ranger cut a Putty in half. Behind him the Red and Black Rangers hacked into their own opponents. Yellow Ranger used her Power Daggers to great effect while White and Pink Ranger unleashed a barrage of arrows. Blue Ranger energised his Power Lance and used it to cut down one Putty after another. One of the foot-soldiers tried to sneak up behind him, only to find its neck entangled by Purple Ranger's Power Whip. Blue Ranger promptly put the sneaky Putty out of its misery. Within minutes the battle was over and the Rangers returned to the Power Chamber.

"Congratulations Rangers," Zordon said. "It would seem that since you've received your new powers, the Putties can no longer keep up with you."

"Yeah that was pretty easy," Zack admitted.

"Well at least you got some action," Rocky grumbled. Then his expression changed into a small grin. "Hey, I bet we could have finished them off faster!"

"Don't be ridiculous, there are eight of us and only six of you," Kimberly pointed out.

"Yeah right. Next you'll be saying you could beat us in a fight!" Tanya joked.

"Doubtless!" Billy commented.

"Is that a challenge?" Rocky asked.

"Yeah, I guess it is!" Zack answered. The two teens grinned at each other, both imagining the challenge such a match up would provide.

"What about it guys?" Tommy asked.

"We'll be happy to show you rookies a few things," Jason answered. "After all, you replaced us."

"If I remember correctly, you were called in as my replacement and had to give the powers back," Trey remarked.

"Zordon, is this okay?" Trini asked.

"I do not see why not, but make sure it does not get too serious," Zordon said. "I believe you will find that there are others who are eager enough to harm you on their own and won't require assistance."

"Great, so who's gonna fight?" Rocky asked excitedly. Of course, they were all eager, but since there were six Zeo Rangers and eight Morphin Rangers, somebody needed to sit out.

"I need to run a test process on the Zeo Zords," Billy said, excusing himself from the battle.

Trey, David and Sam also excused themselves since they had other things to do. That left the battle five on five.

Zordon smiled. Considering the two groups were about to fight against each other, he had never seen them work as a team quite like that. There had been a serious challenge made, but it was all in good heart, and Zordon was proud of them all.

* * *

"I do not like this Master," Oroku said. Having observed the battle, the two ninjas were unable to agree on their next move.

"It has already been decided," Shredder responded. "The enhancements these warriors have undergone will make them perfect for this task. When we strike, the Power Rangers will be taken by surprise, they will never overcome the power of my Cyber Ninjas."

"Yes," Oroku agreed. "But what if the Rangers find a way to deactivate their cybernetics?"

"Then they will still be defeated by highly trained ninjas. Besides, we have this," Shredder replied as he held up a small tube. "The source of this substance is over three thousand years old, and combined with the power of Ninja Magic it shall enable us to infuse our warriors with the power of animals."

"It is a good plan Master Shredder."

"Of course, we shall begin immediately. Ninja, attack!"

From behind the Sentinel Statue in Angel Grove Park a group of ninjas emerged, making their way around the press conference until they cut off all escape routes. The blue ninjas armed with swords kneeled in the front, the red ninjas behind with their bows and the black unarmed ninjas moved between the two lines.

The people in the park watched as the ninjas emerged from nowhere. The police were quick to arrive and drew their guns, Aiming at the approaching ninjas. Angel Grove had an abnormally low homicide rate due to the quick response of its police force and heroes like the Power Rangers to help. Two men clad in metal, one of whom Detective Park recognised from a federal bulletin as the Shredder, stepped from the group. He watched as the armoured commander raised his hand in a fist and the surrounding ninjas fell into fighting positions.

"I am the Shredder," one of the metal clad ninjas said, confirming Detective Park's fears. "The Foot Clan are taking over this city. Resist and you will die!"

"Hey, I don't care who you think you are buddy," Detective Park said, "But you're under arrest. Ascot, put the cuffs on him."

As the officer approached the ninjas moved. One of the black clad ninjas grabbed the officer's wrist and twisted it until he heard the crack of breaking bones. With his other fist inserted in the man's neck he twisted before discarding the corpse.

"Fire!" Detective Park ordered.

The other police officers opened fire, but the few bullets that struck a target did little damage. The ninjas avoided the cop's fire and then either disarmed them or incapacitated them. Detective Park found himself falling back on moves he had learned from his son. He was lucky because although knocked unconscious, he was still alive.

* * *

"Angel Grove Park! You just couldn't resist, could you?" Tommy commented. Billy shrugged.

"Okay. So let's do this." Jason suggested.

"It's Morphin Time!" Tommy cried. As leader of the Zeo Rangers, the team that was supposed to be on active duty, he was technically the leader of their little group. In truth though the command of the Rangers had shifted in the weeks following Minion's defeat with Billy, Jason, Zack, Kimberly, Trini and Tommy sharing the responsibilities as they worked to restore the Earth's protection to normal; despite the effects of the Great Power, Zordon's satellite network was gone, leaving them blind to new enemies entering the solar system.

"Purple Ranger Power!"

"Black Ranger Power!"

"Yellow Ranger Power!"

"Pink Ranger Power!"

"Red Ranger Power!"

"Zeo Ranger I - Pink!"

"Zeo Ranger II - Yellow!"

"Zeo Ranger III - Blue!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Green!"

"Zeo Ranger V - Red!"

As agreed the Rangers engaged a simulated teleport, landing at opposite ends of the park. As soon as they reached their destination they turned to their opponents and the battle was on. As they crossed the ground, they were already picking their opponents. Tommy and Jason were naturally drawn toward each other, Zeo Power Sword meeting the Red Morphin Ranger's own Power Sword. Red Ranger charged in, with his sword held high, striking the down towards his adversary. Red Zeo spun, twisting his body as he stepped past the other red clad hero's blade and directed his own to make a low slash across the Red Ranger's thigh. Red Ranger managed to hop aside, drawing his Blade Blaster and using the sharpened edge to block the Power Sword before landing a solid kick on the Red Zeo Ranger's chest. The force of the blow knocked Tommy flying backwards, a shocking development since seconds earlier he had been on the attack.

He hit the ground hard, ignoring the pain so he could roll backwards and return to a standing position as quickly as possible. Red Ranger attacked immediately with his two blades. Red Zeo barely managed to draw his Zeo Sword, the Zeo V Power Sword had been sent flying from his grasp.

Inside his helmet Red Ranger smirked. With a silent command he energised his Power Sword and charged his opponent, expecting Red Zeo to duck. Only when the Zeo Ranger had started moving did he energise his second blade, cutting across Red Zeo's chest. He somersaulted backwards and drove the Blade Blaster into the ground, sending a shockwave towards Red Zeo. Tommy dodged, rolled and retrieved the Zeo V Power Sword. The warm up was over and the real competition could begin.

"Nice move, but I can do better!" Tommy grinned. He put the Zeo Sword away and held his Zeo Power Sword ready. Then carved a star-shaped symbol in the air before swinging the blade up to blast the Red Ranger.

Red Ranger struggled back to his feet. "You haven't lost your touch Bro," he commented as the two warriors prepared to fight again.

The others were having mixed results against the others. Rocky was evenly matched with Aisha, Adam was beating Zack, Tanya was having a tough time against Trini, and Kat was losing to Kimberly.

Adam seemed to be gaining more and more momentum against Zack. He had delivered a few good shots with his Zeo Pistol and the Black Ranger seemed to be weakening.

"Cosmic Cannon!" Black Ranger cried when Green Zeo made the mistake of getting too close. Adam's eyes widened, remembering the power of that particular weapon.

"Oh-oh!" Adam said quietly as he saw the end of the cannon light up.

"Fire!" Zack cried.

Just then, they were all interrupted by an announcement over the Simulation Room's speakers.

"Everyone, report to the Power Chamber. This is important!" Zordon said.

"Computer, end the program!" Jason called out. The Park and all their weapons disappeared. Adam was relieved.

They teleported into the command chamber, where Billy, Sam and David joined them. As they all filed in, they stood around the view screen.

* * *

"Zordon, what's happening?" Trini asked.

"I am detecting a disturbance in Angel Grove Park," Zordon answered. "Behold the Viewing Screen."

"Ninjas," Zack muttered.

"And they're killing those people," Trini added.

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, Adam's father is there!" Alpha reported.

"Zordon, can we help?" Zack asked. In the past the Rangers had kept out of anything that didn't involve demons or aliens.

"Yes Zack," Zordon answered. "I detect a powerful evil behind this attack. Jason, take your team to Angel Grove Park, Tommy and the others will remain here in case they are needed." Seeing Tommy was about to protest, he added, "until we know who is behind this attack, we must be wary. The Zeo Rangers are still recovering from their ordeal."

"Shall we go?" Trini asked.

"Let's," Zack replied.

"Zordon, we need a mass teleport for all civilians. It's Morphin Time!" Jason called.

"White Ranger Power!"

"Purple Ranger Power!"

"Green Ranger Power!"

"Pink Ranger Power!"

"Blue Ranger Power!"

"Black Ranger Power!"

"Yellow Ranger Power!"

"Red Ranger Power!"

"It's done," Alpha said as the Rangers arrived in the park. "Computers show these ninjas are cyborgs."

"Thanks Alpha, that makes this a lot easier."

The various civilians in the park vanished just as one of the ninjas was about to slay Detective Park.

"Stop right now!" Red Ranger ordered.

"Don't make us do this," Yellow Ranger warned.

"Ha," Shredder snorted. "You will learn a harsh lesson in humility."

"Get them!" Oroku ordered.

Although similar in numbers to the vast armies of Cogs, Tengas and Putties the Rangers had faced in the past; the ninjas were faster and more innovative. The Rangers were unable to land a blow against their opponents. The ninjas however managed to throw the Rangers about.

"Let's show them why they shouldn't mess with the Power Rangers," Red Ranger called.

During their training, the Rangers had been taught multiple techniques for dealing with different types of opponents. While some techniques were shared by their teammates, others were unique.

"Pterodactyl Scream!" Pink Ranger cried.

Her helmet deformed, opening to reveal speakers. Then a screech resembling that of the ancient dinosaur was emitted, creating a wave of sonic energy at a collection of the Shredder's foot soldiers. Exposed to the intense vibrations, the ninjas were incapable of standing upright as their robotic components fell to pieces.

"Ninja Ranger Power!" Yellow Ranger called.

This was a power that the Morphin Rangers shared, the ability to downgrade their armour in return for an increase in movement. Trini's costume changed to a dark yellow ninja costume. An opponent attacked, driving his sword forward and cleaved Yellow Ranger from top to bottom. Yellow Ranger was split in two and her body collapsed into a pile of cloth.

"Looking for me?" Yellow Ranger asked.

The ninja swung around towards the noise as Yellow Ranger stabbed it with her Power Daggers.

"Three down," Zack quipped as his Power Axe cut through a Foot warrior's weapon.

"More to go," Trini finished.

"You will learn a harsh lesson," the metal clad ninja told them.

Both Shredder and Saki performed a complicated series of movements that caused the Rangers to wonder what they were facing.

"Not bad," Zack said. He put as much confidence as he could muster into his voice and added, "But you lack my cool dance moves."

"And the knowledge the Rangers never give up," Blue Ranger added as he drove his Power Staff into one of the ninjas.

"And teamwork," Red Ranger finished as he drove his Power Sword through a ninja's neck.

"Attack!" Saki hissed.

The battlefield was set as ninja avoided the Rangers' attack and landed their own blows. Black Ranger quickly learnt the ninjas were faster than his Hip Hop Kido and Red Ranger found his strength was a drawback when his opponents were faster than him.

"We're outmatched here," White Ranger said as another sword landed on his back.

"Right," Red Ranger agreed. "We need to slow them down. Billy, any ideas?"

"I might have something in my lab," Blue Ranger replied. Placing his hands on his hips, he teleported away in a column of blue.

Seconds later he returned with a strange capsule. As the other Rangers jumped back, he threw it at the ground and watched it explode. Green slime covered the ninjas, jamming their gears and slowing them so the Rangers could attack.

"You will pay for that," Saki warned as he charged at Billy.

Oroku was wearing heavy armour that appeared to be powered by hydraulics. Hidden motors increased the power of his arms and legs. His helmet was designed to withstand most attacks and deliver devastating head butts. In his hand he held a katana that was twice the length of an ordinary blade.

Billy saw Oroku charge and was already moving as the katana connected with his armour. Sparks flew as the uniform's internal mechanisms reduce the sword's impact. Oroku brought his weapon round for a second strike, but this time Blue Ranger moved out of the way.

"Power Lance!"

Splitting the weapon in half the Blue Ranger blocked the next attack, trapping the blade between his two clubs. Aiming for the head, he landed a few shots that caused Oroku to raise his arms in defence. Then when Oroku was distracted he drove the other piece of Power Lance into the ninja's leg.

"I'm not a killer," Blue Ranger said as he stood over the cringing Saki with his Blade Blaster drawn. "Order your ninjas to stand down."

"Mercy is for the weak!" Saki hissed.

Pulling the portion of the Power Lance from his leg and grimacing from the pain, Saki drove the weapon towards the Blue Ranger.

"Hellfire!" Green Ranger yelled. A ball of green fire engulfed the metal clad ninja as Blue Ranger jumped away.

Oroku could feel the temperature rising as the fire covered his armour. Specially designed nozzles fired a retardant gas to protect him from further harm. He looked over to where his master was fighting to see that the Shredder was fairing just as badly.

* * *

Whereas Oroku's armour relied on its punching and kicking power for offence, Shredder's suit was covered with spikes and blades strategically placed to allow attacks from any angle. Currently the Shredder was fighting a losing battle against the Red and Yellow Rangers.

"Power Daggers!"

Yellow Ranger charged at the villain, her daggers piercing his armour. Shedder twisted his wrist to enlarge the blades on his gauntlets. The daggers sparked as the spikes knocked them aside.

"My warriors will subdue your friends and then I shall finish you," Shredder announced.

"I don't think so Shred Head," Red Ranger cried as he rammed his shoulder into the villain.

Shredder laughed as Red Ranger found himself caught on one of Shredder's shoulder spikes. Shredder lifted the Ranger away and kicked him to the ground. With a powerful backhand he decked Yellow Ranger and stood victorious over his adversaries.

"I'm going to peel that armour off your dead bodies," Shredder told the Rangers as he drew his own sword and moved in on Jason.

* * *

"Power Whip!" Purple Ranger called. "One, two, three, four, five."

Using the experience she had gained in the use of the whip, Aisha moved with the speed of the Hawk and the venom of the Spider. After striking one ninja with her weapon she used the handle to bludgeon a third. A fourth warrior charged her from the offside, but Aisha was quick and after converting her weapon into a straight handled crop-styled whip, she slapped the poor warrior along the side of the face.

The third attacker was moving again, but Purple Ranger already had the solution in hand. Drawing her Blade Blaster she fired a single shot and watched as the cyborg fell.

"Nice," Black Ranger commented as he hacked at another ninja.

Staying in a fixed spot Zack was using the Power Axe to frustrate his attackers until they all charged together. Under his helmet Zack smiled as he leapt into the air and watched them collide.

"Cosmic Cannon!"

The slime Billy had provided meant the ninjas were too slow as Zack fired a single blast and reduced them to slag.

"Power Bow!" Pink Ranger called.

During her time as a Dino Ranger, Kimberly had relied on her bow only to fire arrows. Now with the power of Ninja and Thunder she knew how to use the weapon to its full potential. Every part was deadly, from the drawstring to the individual arrows.

Landing in the center of a group of robots she used the bow as a club before changing direction so that the string could slice a lone ninja in half. Summoning her arrows she used them like daggers and then jumped away and fired her remaining shots from a safe distance. Lowering the weapon to chest level she pointed at a regrouping group of ninjas and watched as they were fried by the energised arrow.

"Hey David, don't take too long," she called.

The White Ranger nodded as his energy arrows blasted another ninja. Continuing to attack, he soon levelled his selection of robots. When he was done, he joined Pink, Purple and Black Rangers ready to finish the task.

"There are still too many of them," Pink Ranger pointed out.

"Power Axe!" Black Ranger called.

"Power Bow!" Pink Ranger cried as she slotted her weapon into the same position used when forming the Power Blaster.

"Power Crossbow!" they yelled together. "Fire!"

Pink and black fire smashed into the surviving robots, leaving only the human ninjas to run away.

* * *

"Give it up Red Ranger," Shredder said as he approached the fallen warrior.

"Never!" Red Ranger replied. "Power Sword!"

The Power Sword sliced through Shredder's own weapon as Jason went on the attack. As he reached Shredder a second time, he used the hilt to throw the villain off balance.

"Power Daggers!" Yellow Ranger called again.

As Shredder turned, the Yellow Ranger was already upon him. The Power Daggers pierced his shoulder plates.

Shredder fell back and looked for the first time since attacking to see the condition of his forces. Oroku was injured but at least fighting back, some of his ninjas were regrouping to try again, but the majority had been downed. As he fell back, Shredder was already thinking about what to do.

Shredder knew that none of the Rangers were true ninjas even if they had the fighting skills. He also knew that a ninja needed more than physical skills to survive. There were mental strategies he could se to gain an advantage if he could find the opportunity.

"You Rangers are nothing," he said to the Red Ranger. "I will beat you just as Minion destroyed the Zeo Rangers."

Between his first tenure as Red Ranger and his return to claim the Gold Zeo power Jason had learnt how to gain more control over his temper. He was not as hot headed as he had once been, but it was still a potential weakness Shredder wanted to use. The mention of the Zeo Rangers had had its desired effect as Jason's control snapped and he charged towards the villain.

Shredder waited until the Red Ranger was level with his right foot before he sidestepped the teenager and used his momentum to throw the boy to the ground. He picked up the Power Sword and pointed its sharp point at Jason's throat.

"Rangers!" he called. "Surrender or I shall destroy your leader."

"If he dies so does your comrade," Green Ranger said coldly.

"I will live his loss," Shredder answered as he dragged Jason upright and held the Power Sword against his throat. "Will you?"

Reluctantly the Rangers relinquished their weapons and Green Ranger allowed Oroku to escape.

"Very good," Shredder said as he pulled a dead porcupine from a compartment in his armour. "Now Red Ranger you will have the honour of being the first to try my Mutagen." Shredder hit the Red Ranger with the porcupine and then pulled another tube from his belt. He twisted the lid on the canister and moved Jason into a kneeling position.

Jason closed his eyes and considered his next move. He was pinned down and his friends could not move. Unless one of his teammates could sneak behind Shredder, he was lost. His eyes snapped open as he heard Shredder groan and felt the Power Sword move away from his throat.

As the other Rangers looked on Shredder cried out in pain and released Red Ranger. Behind him something moved.

"Who are you?" Shredder demanded as he turned to face his new attacker. He staggered as a punch caught him in the gut. "You will pay for that!" Shredder shouted angrily only to find himself on the receiving end of a further assault. The Zeo Rangers had joined the battle, using the teleportation system to confuse the villain.

As Shredder charged the newcomers, his spikes at their maximum length, Red Zeo stepped forward to meet the challenge. The Red Ranger, fuelled by anger that the villain had dared to harm his friend, easily caught Shredder's fist. As the momentum carried the villain forward, the Red Zeo Ranger increased his pressured and crushed the villain's hand.

Then Green Zeo took over, fuelled by the need to avenge his father. Drawing back his fist, he poured the power of his fragment of the Zeo Crystal into his fist as he punched the villain with a powerful uppercut. He leapt into the air and delivered a drop kick to the top of the Shredder's head.

There was a loud smash as the Shredder collapsed on top of his canister and was covered with the Mutagen. The chemicals burnt their way through the armour and carried the porcupine's DNA into the villain's body. Shredder screamed as his body started to grow larger. Armour and flesh merged as he continued to mutate into a human/ porcupine crossbreed. Muscles and bones enlarged until Shredder was towering over the Rangers and their new ally.

"Leave this to us," Jason told the Zeo Rangers.

"We need Ninja Zord power, now!" the Rangers called.

"Ninja MegaFalconzord!" Red Ranger called.

"Ninja Battlezord!" Green Ranger called.

The Crane started to fold to form the head while at the same time the Frog transformed to become the legs and the Bear converted to become the Ninja MegaFalconzord's upper body. The already modified Ape and Wolf joined onto the Bear to form the arms as the Crane linked on to become the head. Then the whole upper body joined onto the Frog as the Falcon Zord linked onto the back. Hands formed over the Ape and Wolf's heads.

The Panther Zord transformed to stand upright on its hind legs. The head rotated downwards to become the chest and the front paws became the arms. The Hawk Zord's wings and head folded into the body as the Hawk Zord joined onto the shoulders of the Panther to become the head of the Ninja Battlezord. The Panther's tail converted into a Power Sword as Purple and Green Rangers slid into the cockpit ready for action.

As the Zords battled with the villain, the Zeo Rangers were busy finishing off the Cyber Ninjas.

"We need to finish this," Red Ranger said as the Ninja MegaFalconzord tossed Shredder to the ground where the Ninja Battlezord savaged him with a barrage of vicious punches.

"Battle Strike!" Green and Purple Ranger called.

The Battlezord sliced through the Shredder's armour with its sword; the Ninja MegaFalconzord connected with its own finisher.

Shredder shrugged off the combined attacks and launched his own offence. The spikes launched from his armour, striking the Zords.

"We need more power," Green Ranger noted.

"Right," Blue Ranger agreed. "And I know just where to get it."

"Billy, this is risky," Yellow Ranger warned.

"We don't have a choice," Red Ranger answered. "Ninja Zords, power down!"

The Ninja MegaFalconzord and Ninja Battlezord disassembled and returned to their hiding places as the Rangers summoned some new power.

"Shogun Megazord!"

The Shogun Zords lined up as the Rangers teleported into their cockpits. There were now five Shogun Zords and unlike some of the other combinations they were capable of joining into a single Megazord.

"Put them together!" Red Ranger called.

The Zords charged forward. The Pink and Purple Shogun Zords formed the lower legs, the Black and Yellow Shogun Zords formed the upper legs and lower torso, and the Green Shogun Zord transformed into half the upper body. The White Shogun Zord transformed into the other half of the upper body and the head. Finally the Red and Blue Shogun Zords took their place as the arms, the Red Zord acting as the upper arm and the Blue Zord creating the forearms and hands.

"Shogun Megazord Sabre, power up!"

The fire sword ignited in the Zord's hands. The Megazord moved its arm to the high right position and then swung it down and to the left, slicing through the Shredder. The last of the Mutagen evaporated as the sword finished its journey and Shredder exploded.

"It's over," Red Ranger said as the Zord stood victorious. "Let's go home."

* * *

"Welcome back Rangers, I am afraid that the news of your recent difficulties has caused other villains, some of whom are Earth based to try to fill the void left by Minion," Zordon explained before the teens could ask. "I am afraid that those ninjas you faced today are but a small portion of what is to come."

"We must be ready," Billy said.

"We will be," Tommy assured him, gesturing to the Zeo Rangers. "We'll be here as long as we're needed Zordon. We cannot leave Earth defenceless."

"Thank you, Tommy," Zordon answered. "I am aware that some of you feel the need to take time away from your duties. As soon as Alpha and I find a way to satisfy those wishes, we will do so."

"Thank you," Kat said. It was all that was needed to sum up the feelings of the Zeo Rangers.

" I suggest you all get some rest," Zordon said. "I will call you if you are needed."

"Hey, I seem to remember a challenge we made," Rocky said.

"Yeah, the challenge where we were about to kick your butts," Zack answered.

The two teams exchanged looks, then glanced at Zordon who nodded, before teleporting back to the simulation.

"Quickly Alpha," Zordon ordered.

"I know Zordon, set up the failsafe," Alpha said.

"I was about to say, turn on the cameras in the Simulator. I want to see this battle."

It was eight versus six, Ranger versus Ranger. Neither team were willing to break down and all were good friends. Zordon had no doubts that this contest would only have positive effects as the two teams competed for bragging rights. And then when the time came, he pitied whatever villains got in the way of his Power Rangers.

* * *

Oroku waited until the coast was clear before approaching his master's battered remains. The robotic suit was damaged, but there was a chance that the creature inside had survived. His search eventually left him to the mangled chest panel that served as the Shredder's cockpit. He opened it up and bowed reverently.

"I am glad to see that you are unharmed, Master Shredder."

* * *

Deep Space

They sensed the Shredder's death or at least the sudden drop in his power levels. The robotic-bodied warlord was not easy to defeat and they were willing to bet that he survived. Even so, his sudden burst of activity made them consider Earth as a target once more. It was a short time later that their ship turned toward the small planet and under the leadership of their new master, a warrior who called himself Lothor, they set course for Earth.

**End **


	2. Hell's Angels

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic.

Hell's Angels

They rode along together, brothers on the Highway to Hell. The six members of the biker clan known as the Dreadnoks were looking for trouble. State Troopers did not dare to approach them out of fear. Local police officers turned a blind eye to their activities, knowing it was not a good idea to mess with the bikers. And, worse still the Dreadnoks knew they instilled fear in the police and enjoyed it.

Leading the way as always was Buzzsaw. Despite the tied back blond hair, sunglasses and ripped shirt he would not have appeared threatening. Except that is, for the chainsaw he had mounted on the front of his bike and scar on the left side of his face. Buzzsaw was a former university graduate who had discovered it was more profitable to rip off convenience stores than it was to do an honest day's work.

Behind him were Ripper and Torch. Ripper had black hair slicked back and shaven on each side, creating a Mohawk look. He had a short black beard with moustache, red sunglasses and an earring in his left ear. On the back of his bike was his favourite toy, a version of the cutting tool used by fire fighters to free trapped motorists. Strapped to his back was his usual weapon, a modified M-16 machine gun with bayonet attachment. The blade could cut through most materials, even the toughest of metals.

Torch had long brown hair, covered at the top by a bandanna. He wore a black jacket and blue jeans with black boots. On his back was a canister of petroleum and a flamethrower. Torch was more experienced than either Buzzsaw or Ripper, but was too stupid to take charge.

Next on a motorized tricycle came Thrasher. Thrasher considered himself to be a genius and worthy of the position as leader of the Dreadnoks. He was a typical example of a spoilt brat who decided to get back at his rich parents. He wore metal shoulder pads and chest protection complemented by the small revolver he kept in plain sight on his chest. As the youngest Dreadnok, he had yet to be taken seriously by any of his riding companions or their esteemed leader, Zartan.

Monkey Wrench was not far behind, annoyed that Thrasher seemed to enjoy blocking his way. The grenades he had strung carelessly over his red sleeveless jacket gave the impression of a fearless fighter. In truth he was a coward, happy to sit back and cheat rather than face an opponent. His brown hair and beard covered his face, his eyes hidden behind his silver sunglasses.

Finally came Road Pig, the most unpopular of the Dreadnoks. There was a joke in the bikers' community that Road Pig was so ugly his mother had been forced to tie pork chops around his neck to convince dogs to play with him. In truth the dogs just weren't that hungry. He had white hair tied around the top. He wore black biker trousers with large metal plated boots. On his right arm he had a barbed wire tattoo around his twenty four-inch biceps. He may not have been pretty, but Road Pig was built for power. On his back he carried a large sledgehammer.

"Pull over to the side of the road and stand beside your vehicles."

Buzzsaw could not help smiling. It had been a long time since they had been pulled over, especially by a lone police officer. This was going to be fun. Buzzsaw complied with the officer's instructions and waited for the policeman to step out of the car.

"Keep you hands where I can see them," the officer said. He had already drawn his own gun and was covering all six suspects.

"Plan F," Buzzsaw whispered to Ripper.

Overhearing what his leader said Thrasher played his part, pretending to keel over allowing Torch and Monkey Wrench to fake concern and kneel down to check on him. Realizing he needed assistance the officer tried to reach into his car to radio for help.

It was his first mistake. For a moment he took his eyes off the Dreadnoks and that was all the time Monkey Wrench needed to roll a grenade under the car. The officer ran for cover, dropping his gun as he dove to avoid a blast that never came. The grenade still had the pin inserted.

"Well Officer Hoankan," Buzzsaw said looking at the officer's name tag. "Looks like we gets ourselves some fun."

As he spoke Ripper and Road Pig were already laying into the car. Road Pig drove his hammer into the bonnet repeatedly, destroying the engine as he did so. Ripper was more concerned with slicing the bodywork. Both Dreadnoks moved aside as Torch used his flamethrower to set the car alight.

"Very good Gentlemen," Officer Hoankan said, showing no sign of fear. "I couldn't have hoped to find better candidates."

Very quickly Hoankan disarmed the Dreadnoks with his fighting skills. He knocked Ripper, Thrasher and Monkey Wrench out with a single kick. A punch and elbow took care of Torch and a back breaker finished off Buzzsaw. Now it was the massive bulk of Road Pig versus the unimpressive form of Hoankan.

Hoankan slammed the palm of his hand into Road Pig's chest. He aimed a kick at the Dreadnok's knee, forcing his legs from under him. A few more blows and Road Pig was angry enough to use his hammer. Hoankan ducked the first strike, caught the second blow and then after wrenching the weapon away struck its owner across the head.

Evil laughter emerged from Hoankan's lips as he looked at his six victims. Moving over to the patrol car Oroku Saki removed his mask and stripped away the fake uniform.

* * *

Later

Oroku Saki looked at his work and prepared for the final sequence. He had taken the Dreadnoks, some of the lowest humans on the planet, combined their abilities and physical forms and combined them with a chemical created by the Foot Clan's most advanced scientists. Known as Mutagen, the process of bonding the humans together was relatively straightforward.

The body features were Road Pig's. The muscles, strength and invulnerability were forged from his body. Unfortunately, Oroku Saki had been unable to do anything about the face. Thrasher and Buzzsaw's knowledge had been crammed into Road Pig's empty mind, making him the most intelligent Dreadnok ever. Not that that was a major accomplishment when considering how stupid the Dreadnoks were in general. Monkey Wrench, Ripper and Torch provided the weaponry and bike skills Oroku Saki needed. In addition Monkey Wrench's love of destruction and violence gave Oroku Saki's work of art a wonderful sadistic quality Oroku Saki had been unable to resist.

The result was a large, powerful, almost intelligent creature with the sense of mayhem, death and violence only a human could create. A little over six feet tall with white hair and a body that would make most body builders look feeble Oroku Saki's creation stood up and awaited Oroku Saki's command. Obedience had been one of the factors Oroku Saki had ensured he had implanted in his creation's mind.

"Your names mean nothing anymore, I name you Dreadnok," Oroku Saki said.

Dreadnok did not speak; he was not designed to do so. Instead the head simply nodded to acknowledge his master's wishes. Oroku Saki had taken the opportunity to clothe Dreadnok using the bikers' original clothing. The result was that he wore a pair of black biker trousers with a heavy belt. On the buckle of the belt were a set of studs, arranged with one in the center and six more, forming a hexagon around the outside. Oroku Saki had equipped the buckle with surprises for anyone stupid enough to get close. On his feet was a pair of heavy boots. Brown leather was surrounded by heavy metal plating covering the legs up to the knee.

A red and black leather jacket covered Dreadnok's upper body. Sets of three spikes were mounted on each shoulder pad. On his left hand he wore a heavy-duty black leather glove covered with studs. On the end of each finger of the glove was a sharp knife blade.

Oroku Saki had taken the trike and upgraded it to become faster and almost indestructible. The frame had been forged using a special formula Oroku Saki had stolen to create a Molecular Bonded Shell. Oroku Saki had been determined not to allow the Rangers to defeat his monster by destroying the bike. Various weapons had been attached for use against Rangers and Zords, along with some weapons for Dreadnok's personal use.

Having reviewed the tapes of his master's failed assault on Angel Grove, Oroku had determined the Rangers were nowhere near as capable of fighting humans as they were space aliens.

* * *

Dreadnok appeared outside the Angel Grove Youth Center. He aimed his bike towards the doors and revved the engine. Releasing the clutch he propelled the vehicle into the Youth Center, scattering the teens that frequented the establishment. Ernie and his assistant Richie barely managed to scramble out from behind the counter as Dreadnok smashed through.

Dreadnok jumped off his bike, pulling his chainsaw from the bike. He aimed at the nearest object and sliced the table in half. Then he went after Ernie, attempting to cleave the ex-marine in half.

For such a large man Ernie managed to move faster than anyone would think possible. He backed away from the saw and made his way over to Richie, signalling everybody to get out of the building.

Dreadnok was not done. Even as the last human cleared the Juice Bar Dreadnok used his flamethrower to burn the building to the ground. As his business burnt to the ground Ernie was thankful that everybody had managed to escape with his or her lives. He also hoped that whatever that thing had been, it was now a smoking pile of bones in the rubble.

With a roar the monster burst from the wrecked Juice Bar and headed away towards Angel Grove High School. Anybody unfortunate enough to get in Dreadnok's way was forced to dive for cover as the monster continued his path of destruction delighting in the wrecked cars and property marking a trial behind him.

* * *

"Alpha, summon the Rangers," Zordon commanded.

"Which team, Zordon?" Alpha asked.

Zordon considered his options carefully. There was something about the monster that made him suspicious. He detected the faint imprint of a spell preventing morphing. If that was true then the Zeo Rangers were best suited because of the non-magical nature of their powers. But, Zordon also knew the Zeo Rangers were occupied.

"Summon all the Morphin Rangers."

"Signal sent Zordon," Alpha reported.

Zordon waited until the last Ranger had reported in; surprisingly Dex had accompanied Zack to the Power Chamber and was ready to help. Zordon was happy to see his old friend's grandson had recovered and from looking at the way Alpha fussed over the young prince, he knew the little android felt the same.

"Rangers, it appears we have a new enemy," Zordon said.

On the Viewing Screen the Rangers could see Dreadnok burning a path of destruction through Angel Grove. Despite the appearance David could sense something vaguely human about the monster. Somehow he could see the monster as a type of vampire, a human possessed by a demon.

"Any idea who is responsible for this?" Sam asked.

The other Rangers looked at Zordon expectantly, knowing that their most recent encounter with the Shredder had revealed that there were Earth-based villains willing to challenge the Earth's heroes. They also knew that with Minion gone any of their former enemies could return.

"I am not sure who is behind this attack," Zordon told them. "I am certain that neither Zedd and Rita nor King Mondo are responsible."

"Whoa, we have to stop that thing quickly," Zack said as he watched Dreadnok cause even more damage to Angel Grove.

"It's Morphin Time!"

"White Ranger Power!"

"Black Ranger Power!"

"Pink Ranger Power!"

"Blue Ranger Power!"

"Yellow Ranger Power!"

"Red Ranger Power!"

"Purple Ranger Power!"

"Green Ranger Power!"

"Ecto-phase Activate!" Dex called.

After they were all morphed the Rangers and Masked Rider prepared to teleport into battle. Before doing so Dex took the time to study Dreadnok and his bike.

"Rangers, if you can move into position here," he pointed at the map, "I'll ensure he can't ride away."

With that said the nine heroes teleported away in nine columns of light. Zordon watched as his Ranger left to save their world once again.

* * *

"Chopper, rev up!" Masked Rider ordered as he stood in Dreadnok's path.

Inside a cave just outside of Leewood two energy like bugs appeared. Once transformed to become the advanced battle car known as Magno. The other transformed into the motorcycle known as Combat Chopper.

"Oh my way Boss," Chopper said as he raced towards Dex.

"I'm here too Dex," Magno reminded him as she followed Chopper.

"Thanks," Masked Rider said as he jumped onto Combat Chopper. "I'm going to need all the help I can get."

With that said the Masked Rider streaked towards Dreadnok at high speed. Meanwhile Magno moved in from the side, catching him by surprise. Sparks flew as Magno collided with the Molecular Bonded Shell and lost. The red car was thrown aside, her damaged front axle preventing further attempts. She had succeeded in distracting Dreadnok, an advantage Masked Rider was quick to use.

"Masked Rider Super Gold!"

The tapped morphing energy was redirect into a second system. The power was siphoned into a golden crystal before being multiplied and released to complete the transformation into Super Gold.

Holding his right hand close to his upper leg Dex summoned his blaster. Aiming at Dreadnok's head he fired a continuous burst of energy into the monster's skull. Dreadnok was thrown off his vehicle leaving it to speed off on its own.

Now the Masked Rider faced off against Dreadnok. As Dex suspected, his opponent relied on brutal force allowing Masked Rider to use his speed to out manoeuvre him. But although Masked Rider inflicted more punishment, Dreadnok seemed totally unaffected by any of Dex's powers.

Dreadnok raised his hands over his head, exposing his belt buckle. A quick mental command activated the studs embedded in the buckle. Seven thin cables launched and secured themselves to Dreadnok's body. Slowly the bonds started transferring the Masked Rider powers from Dex into the demon.

* * *

From his position high above Angel Grove, Oroku Saki watched his creation in action. His master had been so certain of victory he had overlooked the Rangers' determination and their ability to learn. As a result Oroku found himself double-checking every decision he made in case he made an error.

Now, Dreadnok was starting to show signs on independent thought. Oroku Saki had ordered Dreadnok to destroy the Masked Rider, not drain his power. Any extra power would reduce Dreadnok's reliance on Oroku Saki. Luckily Oroku Saki had made arrangements in case Dreadnok tried to break free. Moving to a small control board he adjusted the chemical levels in the Mutagen device that he had fitted to Dreadnok's hip. The sudden change triggered the pain receptors in Dreadnok's body and caused him to scream in agony.

"Dreadnok, your loyalty is to Oroku Saki. Betray me and you will suffer until you beg for death."

"Y-yes," he heard Dreadnok reply. The voice was filled with pain and panic, even more surprising since Dreadnok was not supposed to be able to speak.

"Yes what?" Oroku Saki demanded.

He watched as Red Ranger severed the connection through which Dreadnok was draining the Edonite. Yellow and Pink Ranger were moving in and it would not belong before the other Rangers attacked. He turned the pain control up further, increasing the pain until he heard the reply he wanted.

"Yes master," Dreadnok said.

"Good," Oroku Saki replied. He turned the pain control to near maximum and watched as Dreadnok screamed. "Remember what you felt Dreadnok. Suffering a thousand times greater awaits you should you betray me again. Now, destroy the Rangers!"

Oroku Saki turned the pain control back to zero and watched as Dreadnok's pain was transformed into pure rage. He knocked the Red Rangers aside and once again directed his assault at the Masked Rider.

* * *

The bonds tightened around Dex's limbs as his precious powers were drained away. The events took place so quickly he found he barely had the ability to think. His body continued to glow green, blue and gold as Dreadnok fed on his link to the Morphin Grid.

Suddenly the drain stopped. Dreadnok fell to the ground, his hands on the sides of his head. A loud groan emerged from his throat as he struggled against the pain Oroku Saki inflicted on him.

"Dreadnok, your loyalty is to Oroku Saki. Betray me and you will suffer until you beg for death."

"Y-yes," Dreadnok managed. He knew when he was defeated. If he could drain the Rangers' powers he would be free of Oroku Saki. But there was no way he could take that much pain.

"Yes what?" Oroku Saki's voice boomed.

For the Power Rangers the distraction Oroku Saki had created was too good to miss. They knew they would have few chances to gain an advantage against the monster and decided to rescue their friend.

"Power Sword!" Red Ranger called.

Even as the Red Ranger landed between the Masked Rider and Dreadnok the other Rangers were standing by ready to attack. A single blow form the Power Sword severed the seven cables connecting Dreadnok to Masked Rider. Dreadnok screamed in agony although Jason was not sure if that was due to link being broken so suddenly or some outside influence he could not see.

"Yes master!" Dreadnok screamed, answering Jason's question for him. Then the monster went silent.

Red Ranger stepped forward to try to move Dex away. The Masked Rider had already recovered, but Jason wanted the Edonite out of the way when the battle started again. Red Ranger braced himself but it was too late. Dreadnok drove his shoulder spikes into Red Ranger, throwing him aside before returning to finish the Masked Rider.

Dex was already moving. While Dreadnok concentrated on the Red Ranger, Masked Rider got back to his feet and kicked Dreadnok in the back of the shin.

"Rider Kick!"

"Electro Saber activate!"

The two move combination caused Dreadnok to howl. The flames surrounding his skull-like face grew bigger as he summoned his flamethrower and fired. Masked Rider had already moved aside, determined not to become a fried bug.

"Dex, keep him busy while we form the Power Blaster," Red Ranger called.

With Dex encouraging the monster to chase him the Rangers summoned their weapons and prepared to form their Power Blaster.

"Power Axe!" Black Ranger called. Using his hop scotch teleport, he appeared next to Dreadnok and swiped at him with his axe in single-handed mode. "Cosmic Cannon!" he added converting his weapon and throwing it into the air.

"Power Bow!" Pink Ranger shouted. She fired two arrows and then struck Dreadnok with her bow across his throat, before throwing it into the air to join the Power Axe.

"Power Lance!" Blue Ranger said as he struck Dreadnok in the chest. He used two more blows and then split the lance in half, jabbed the monster with both parts, before throwing it into the air to join the Power Axe and Power Bow.

"Power Daggers!" Yellow Ranger said. Leaping inside Dreadnok's range she stabbed him, setting up a target for her next attack. Jumping to a safe distance, she threw both daggers at the same time. The daggers honed in on the spot where she had struck the monster originally and pierced his skin.

Thick black blood seeped onto the ground beneath him. As she threw her daggers a second time, Purple Ranger appeared behind him with her weapon.

"Power Whip!"

"Saba!", "Power Sword!", "Dragon Blade!", the White, Red and Green Rangers called.

Green Ranger stuck his sword onto the base of the Power Blaster's barrel. Purple Ranger draped the chain of her Nunchuks over the barrel. The two ends joined together underneath to provide an addition handle. As Saba sank into the ground his mouth opened wide and then closed around the handle of the Nunchuks.

"Fire!" all eight Rangers called.

Eight beams of coloured light burst from the Power Blaster, ripping through Dreadnok. His body glowed eight different colours as his skin boiled.

"It didn't work!" Green Ranger complained.

"No duh, Sherlock," Pink Ranger said sarcastically.

"Maybe the Power Cannon will provide the desired outcome," Blue Ranger suggested.

"Right," Red Ranger agreed.

"Power Cannon!"

Since there were now eight members of the team, Alpha had taken the time to redesign the Power Cannon. As the basic cannon hovered in the air, a smaller cannon appeared in each Ranger's hand. The Rangers removed their Power Disks and inserted them into their own cannons before fitting the separate cannons onto the main weapon.

The Ranger lined up in two rows of four. Red and White Ranger stood at the front with Yellow and Pink Ranger standing behind. Then came Blue and Black Ranger with Green and Purple Ranger standing at the back.

"Lock and load!" White Ranger called.

The basic cannon had been modified so the barrel could rotate. As it started to spin along with the other barrels they began to glow, each in the colour of a different Ranger. Eight separate beams of power joined in a point and continued to build in power.

"Fire!" the Rangers called together.

At their command the barrel stopped spinning and fired. A burst of orange energy erupted, combining with the other eight beams, forming a single blast, which destroyed Dreadnok. The Rangers' Power Disks returned to their owners as the Power Cannon was returned to subspace.

* * *

"It's not that easy," Oroku Saki said.

He pressed the largest button on his control board and dumped the remainder of the Mutagen into Dreadnok's blood.

* * *

Angel Grove,

"Oh man," Zack said as he saw Dreadnok resurrected and grown to a monstrous size combine with his bike. "Jase, we need the Zords."

"Ninja MegaFalconzord, now!"

"Ninja Battlezord, now!"

The Crane started to fold to form the head while at the same time the Frog transformed to become the legs and the Bear converted to become the Ninja MegaFalconzord's upper body. The already modified Ape and Wolf joined onto the Bear to form the arms as the Crane linked on to become the head. Then the whole upper body joined onto the Frog as the Falcon Zord linked onto the back. Hands formed over the Ape and Wolf's heads.

Dreadnok watched the Megazords forming. In his mind Oroku Saki was telling him to remain still and not act. He had no idea what Oroku Saki had in mind, only that he had been sent a grenade to throw.

The Panther Zord transformed to stand upright on its hind legs. The head rotated downwards to become the chest and the front paws became the arms. The Hawk Zord's wings and head folded into the body as the Hawk Zord joined onto the shoulders of the Panther to become the head of the Ninja Battlezord. The Panther's tail converted into a Power Sword as Purple and Green Rangers slid into the cockpit ready for action.

"Now!" he heard Oroku Saki shout.

Pulling the pin on his grenade he tossed it at the Zords and waited. The grenade did not explode. Instead as it hit the grounds a thick grey smoke poured from the pinhole. It took Blue Ranger a bit too long to understand what was happening as first Dreadnok and then the Zords started to shut down.

"Jason, send the Zords back!" Blue Ranger called. "Everybody else, power down!"

It was already too late. Without their commands the Ranger uniforms vanished along with the shielding and magical weapons of their Zords. Dreadnok was also affected. The magical powers the Wraith had given him disappeared leaving a giant human standing on a large trike.

"What happened?" Aisha asked. Her Green teammate was currently demorphed and unconscious. His face had turned a deadly shade of white.

"Somebody used a ferrous-based gas cloud to neutralize the magical properties of our Zords and powers," Blue Ranger explained. "We won't be able to morph while the gas is still present."

"Ferrous, you mean Iron?" Trini asked, grasping what her friend was getting at. "Can we still fight?"

"Affirmative," Billy said. "But all we have is the Zord. We cannot use any weapons and we cannot call for new Zords."

Zack had been watching Dreadnok during Billy and Trini's conversation. "Looks like he got gassed as well."

"It's just shock," Billy told him. "He'll recover before we do."

The two Zords piloted by the powered down Rangers faced off against the recovering Dreadnok. Fortunately the Ranger's link to the Morphin Grid existed enough that they still had the knowledge to pilot their Zords. Without magic flowing into the Zords they were slower and easily damaged. Despite the Mutagen to enhance his body Dreadnok was slower and reliant solely on his weapons.

However, as the Mutagen continued to burn into his mind he lost his ability to use weapons. With Oroku's prodding he managed to start his chainsaw. The weapon clashed with the Zords and although the Zord sparked as the blade made contact the stronger Zord metal managed to withstand the assault.

* * *

Power Chamber

Dex had teleported back to the Power Chamber when it became obvious he could not help in a Zord battle. Along with Alpha he had been monitoring the fight until the screen went blank.

"Alpha, search for the Rangers," Zordon ordered. "I cannot feel them in the Morphin Grid."

As the android scanned it became obvious part of Angel Grove was no longer receptive to magic. As Alpha ran a more detailed scan, it became obvious why.

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, the Rangers are helpless!"

"Alpha, explain," Zordon ordered.

"There is an anti magic gas in that area of Angel Grove," Alpha replied. "We can't teleport or talk with the Rangers in that area and they can't morph."

"Is there any way to disperse the gas?" Dex asked.

"Gas is already fading, but the Rangers are vulnerable to this monster," Alpha replied.

"Alpha, summon the Zeo Rangers. They will be immune to the effects of the anti magic bomb."

In six flashes of light the former Zeo Rangers appeared.

* * *

Angel Grove

Dreadnok was on the attack again. With a roar he lunged at the Zords. The MegaFalconzord was launched into the air, throwing the still demorphed Rangers around the cockpit. Transferring the power away from the shields, Billy was able to place a protective bubble around the Rangers to prevent further injury.

The Ninja Battlezord had managed to stay in one place, but to do so had drained all its power. Now useless the Zord collapsed to the ground just as Sam started to recover.

"Is everybody okay?" Jason asked.

"We're okay," Aisha replied. "But the Battlezord is helpless."

"So is the MegaFalconzord," Billy added. "We have almost full power but zero mobility. Falcon Zord is operating fine, so we could separate."

"What about our powers and Zordon?" Kimberly asked.

"The effects of the anti magic grenade are fading," Billy replied. "We should be able to morph again. But communications and teleportation are still out."

As he spoke the Rangers' uniforms reappeared as their powers returned once more. Looking across at Dreadnok the Rangers could see he was back to normal and showed no sign of damage.

"I think we need help," Black Ranger commented as Dreadnok closed in for the kill.

* * *

Oroku Saki watched as his creation prepared to finish the Rangers once and for all. The ancient legends about magic and Iron were true. His anti magic gas had worked perfectly, albeit accidentally. He had no knowledge of the magical arts other than his limited Ninja Magic. The idea had originally been to use a grenade filled with iron filings to jam the Zords' servo units. However, the results had been better than hoped for, so he had no real concerns about his plans going awry.

"Dreadnok, finish them!"

He watched in satisfaction as Dreadnok moved in for the kill. He remembered how the villain Minion, a creature of magic, had had six Rangers at his mercy. Oroku Saki on the other hand was a mere human and was about to kill eight Rangers.

"My master will reward my success," Oroku Saki mused as he watched the slaughter unfold.

* * *

Dreadnok brought his chainsaw down across the fallen MegaFalconzord's leg ending any chance they had of getting mobile again. With a quick switch he produced a flame-thrower and a chain. After securing the chain around the Zord's body he started to swing, at the same time scorching the damaged Zord's metal skin.

"David, you'd better detach while you still can," Blue Ranger said.

The door at the back of the MegaFalconzord's cockpit opened as White Rangers chair was pulled backwards into the Falcon Zord. With a loud screech the Falcon detached and headed for the sky.

"Aisha, I'm sending you details of a new formation. Just let them upload," Blue Ranger said. To himself he added: "I just hope Alpha made the adjustments to the Falcon."

Further communication was cut short as Dreadnok jerked the chain taunt causing the Ninja Megazord to crash to the ground. Preparing a final shot with its flamethrower Dreadnok hoped to finish the battle quickly.

A red object streaked past the fallen Ninja Battlezord, striking Dreadnok in the stomach and driving him away from his bike. Rapid punches followed, culminating in a barrage of fire from the Red Battlezord's Gattling Cannons.

"Jason, you okay Bro?" Red Zeo asked as he continued to pummel the monster.

"Tommy?"

"In the flesh," Red Zeo grinned under his helmet.

As Dreadnok tried to stand up a second object slammed into his side. Jason recognised the Zord as the Warrior Wheel, a powerful if small Zord. For the Masked Rider it was his first time behind the controls of a Zord during combat. He had wanted to help earlier, but Zordon had insisted he wait.

"Red Battlezord return!" Red Zeo ordered. He teleported away from the Zord and joined the other Zeo Rangers who were waiting on the ground below.

"We need Super Zeo Zord power, Now!"

From the rebuilt Zeo Launcher in Power Mountain came the Super Zeo Zords, the first time they had all been together in action since being rebuilt. After teleporting to the Zords the Rangers brought them together to form the Super Zeo Megazord.

"Take your positions, everybody!" Red Zeo ordered.

Super Zeo Zords I, II, III, IV and V lined up, ready for the next instruction. Together they launched into the air.

"Initiating Super Zeo Megazord sequence!" Red Zeo called when they were all in the air.

The five Zords started to transform in midair before land in Megazord form. First Super Zeo Zord I, then IV, III, V and finally II. The crown piece on the Megazord's head slid upwards, revealing the visor through which the Rangers could see. As the Rangers gathered in the cockpit, the Super Zeo Megazord was online.

* * *

Oroku Saki cursed when he saw the Zeo Rangers arrive. Reinforcements had not been something he wanted to see. Instead of panicking, he turned the control to maximum and watched as the tank of Mutagen he had installed in Dreadnok's bike exploded.

"Arise Zod, Lord of the Roads!"

Flesh and metal combined to form a cybernetic dragon on wheels. The dragon had two heads capable of breathing fire and a chainsaw mounted on its left arm. Its tail was a long steel chain with a spiked ball on the end. In its right hand was a single silver blade. Any intelligence was gone as the angry demon took over and Zod attacked.

Zod started by shooting flames at the Super Zeo Megazord. The large Zord lifted off the ground, separating into its components part to avoid the flames before reforming. Super Zeo Zord swung its sword in a wide arc to knock Zod on the side of the face. As Zod rebounded Warrior Wheel delivered some fist shots of its own.

Spinning around Zod managed to catch Warrior Wheel with its chain. Flames shot from its mouth keeping the other two Zords from helping.

"Split; grab a head!" Red Zeo shouted.

The Super Zeo Megazord divided into individual Zords. Super Zeo Zord I caught the left head and Super Zeo Zord II grabbed the other. Super Zeo Zords III and IV moved in to assist, while Super Zeo Zord V drove both heads forward in a bulldog type move. With all its concentration directed at its head the demon forgot about the Warrior Wheel attached to its tail. Dex moved the Warrior Wheel to draw the chain taunt.

"Pull!" Red Zeo ordered.

The Zords pulled in different directions causing the demon to swing wildly in pain and anger. His blade sliced the Megazord allowing him to use the chainsaw against Super Zeo Zord III. As the Zords moved away Zod turned its heads towards Warrior Wheel and shot another blast of fire. The Warrior Wheel caught fire and wandered away trailing flames. Dex struggled to regain control over the Zord.

* * *

Inside the fallen Ninja Megazord Billy was desperately trying to reprogram the Hawk and Panther Zords. Finally a green, white and purple symbol appeared on his control board.

"Okay, David, Aisha, go for it."

Taking command David pushed the activate button on his Zord's control panel. At the same time Sam and Aisha did likewise.

"Ninja Falcon Battlezord!"

Using the power of the Falcon to revive the other Zords White Ranger triggered the transformation. The Hawk Zord Detached from the Battlezord to be replaced by the Falcon Zord. The arms of the Battlezord detached, allowing the Falcon's wings to fold around before reattaching. Then the Hawk fastened itself to the right arm, its wings and beak forming a three-point weapon.

"Ninja Falcon Battlezord Online!"

Knowing it was out numbered the Zod attempted to use another gas attack. But although the Zeo Crystal was magic it was unaffected by Cold Iron due to the science base of the power. They reformed the Super Zeo Megazord, which blocked and dispersed the gas so the Falcon Battlezord was unaffected.

"Let's finish this," Green Ranger suggested.

The Ninja Falcon Battlezord delivered a single swipe of its hawk blade before moving out of the way.

"Battle Strike!"

As the Battlezord finished its attack Super Zeo Megazord held Warrior Wheel ready for launch. Swinging quickly back and then releasing the wheel for a final attack. As the Warrior Wheel reached Zod it transformed to its humanoid form for the final blow.

The Rangers watched as Zod exploded, the demon being thrown back to wherever Saki had found it. When the smoke cleared the Rangers returned to the Power Chamber for debriefing.

* * *

"Forgive me master, for I have failed you," Saki begged.

"Rise," came the reply as Shredder looked down at his underling. "We have wasted enough time here. I know of another place where we can find the resources to defeat these Rangers. For now we will return to New York where I can recover. You are forgiven this time, but do not think that the Shredder will be so indulgent next time."

"Of course Master."

"Come then, we must prepare. Our allies will arrive soon and we must be ready for them. It is time to recall my elite."

* * *

Power Chamber,

Minutes later

After the thrill of victory had faded the Rangers listened to Zordon as he gave his debriefing. For once the rather serious mentor seemed happy.

"Rangers, you have today proven yourselves to be a force to be reckoned with. With fourteen Rangers to defend the planet I am certain Earth shall remain safe, although I had been worried about how two teams would function. I see now that there is no need for the Morphin Rangers to remain inactive or for the Zeo Rangers to always be on standby. If nothing the recent boredom Tommy and his team display proves that you will all benefit from a shared workload in the future.

Jason, you have proven yourself a worthy Field Commander and I am proud to place you in charge of the Morphin Rangers. Tommy, you will retain command of the Zeo Rangers. In future I shall be able to use the team I feel best suits the situation. And until such time as replacements are found, I ask you all to remain Rangers?"

"We'll always be there when you need us Zordon," Zack said on the behalf of the Morphin Rangers.

"Yeah and so will we," Tommy agreed. Over time the idea of retiring had been abandoned as the Zeo Rangers had realised that to them it was more than a job, being a Ranger was a way of life.

"Thank you, Rangers. In order to ensure you are able to come to the Power Chamber in times of need I am allowing you all to use the teleport system and your communicators as and when you need to. Alpha will be provided an extra channel so that you can speak to each other privately."

"Prince Dex, I thank you for your help today and I hope you will assist us in future should we need you."

"I would be honoured to fight alongside your Rangers should you need me again," Dex said.

Billy and Alpha quickly prepared a communicator for Dex coloured green, gold and blue. Then, the prince teleported home and the Rangers soon followed. There were still dangers out there and evil still lurked in the background But for today the evil had been conquered and the world was at peace. Thanks to the Power Rangers.

**End **


	3. The Mysterious Refugee Part One - Crash

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to the Mouse. This is a not for profit fan series. The first few scenes of this story belong to Ellen Brand.

Author's note: This story takes place in the Conquest of Evil Multiverse and shares its alternate time line. In case anybody is wondering, the basis of this story was written by Ellen Brand as part of a series called Fallen Heroes, which was later picked up and abandoned by Hellfire.

The Mysterious Refugee Part One - Crash and Burn

Angel Grove,

"Go Rocky!" Rosa DeSantos yelled. The Power Rangers of Angel Grove had attended a number of competitions and sporting events over the years. Football games, martial arts tournaments, baseball games, martial arts tournaments, broomball games, martial arts tournaments, and a few martial arts tournaments thrown in for good measure. This event, however, was different from anything they had done before. Rocky DeSantos, Blue Zeo Ranger, was currently entered in an eating contest.

"Good grief," Adam Park remarked, folding his arms over his chest. "What does that make, six pies he's put away so far?"

Rocky's latest girlfriend nodded. "Yeah, and the contest only started five minutes ago."

The contest was the result of a good-natured bet between Rocky and one of his classmates. The girl, Kittie, had declared that she could put away more food in a ten-minute period than Rocky could, and he had decided to call her on it. Currently, it looked to be anybody's game.

"I'm gonna be sick," moaned Tommy Oliver. "How does he DO that?"

The Zeo Rangers had turned out to cheer their teammate on. As the clock ticked on, the crowd watched in awe as the pie plates piled up beside the two contestants. Finally, the ten minutes were up and the final bell rang. Everyone was silent as the judges slowly counted the plates.

"The winner, with twenty empty plates- Rocky DeSantos!"

Rocky got to his feet, clasping his hands over his head in the classic "boxer's cheer." Kittie stood as well, clapping him on the back.

"So what do you have to say for yourself, Rocko?" she asked. He grinned mischievously.

"When's lunch?"

Everyone groaned. "ROCKY!"

* * *

An hour later Rocky jogged along the pathways of Angel Grove Park, soaking up the warm sun. Jogging was his second-favourite form of exercise, right after the martial arts. And since he needed to burn some of the calories his recent snack had dumped into his system, he was taking a jog through the currently quiet park.

"This is nice," he thought aloud. "Why don't I do this more often?"

As if in response to his question, the sky above him began to cloud over, and a cold wind started to howl through the park. Rocky squinted, quickly raising a hand to shield his eyes. "Oh yeah," he muttered. "Now I remember." In the clouds above him, lightning started to flicker and was almost instantly followed by rumbles of thunder. Not more than a hundred feet away, however, Rocky could still see golden sunlight pouring down on the park.

"I've heard of local weather, but this is ridiculous," he grumbled. Eyeing the clouds above him carefully, Rocky tapped his communicator. "Zordon, this is Rocky. I think we've got trouble in the park."

"I see it," Zordon acknowledged. "I shall inform the other Rangers immediately. In the meantime, I would suggest you-" A large burst of static cut the inter-dimensional being off.

"Zordon? Zordon!" Rocky yelled. The wind was picking up now, and the Blue Zeo Ranger had the uncomfortable feeling that he was about to be caught in the eye of a hurricane. Suddenly, from the air around him came a ringing sound, like feedback from an amplifier. As the sound rose in pitch, Rocky clapped his hands over his ears, his face contorted in pain. Suddenly a bolt of energy shot from the clouds down to where Rocky was standing, knocking him aside as it tore off toward the city, a trail of fire remaining as he moved onward.

"I hear you Rocky," Zordon replied. "Whatever caused the disturbance is moving away from you at high speed."

"I saw it," Rocky announced. "Whatever it is leaves a trail of fire and was heading towards the freeway."

"You will need to intercept it, Rocky. Morph and use the Zeo Jet Cycle to pursue. I will have your fellow Rangers meet you there."

* * *

He was alive; with the pain he was feeling it was impossible for him to be dead. The explosive energy that had created the intense vibration, which had in turn allowed him to penetrate the barriers between his previous and current location, had overloaded his powers.

"Gotta stop before I hurt somebody."

It seemed the speech center of his brain had been affected by the abuse of his powers; morphers were not supposed to have been use self-inducing amplifier circuits for a reason. Coupled with the flames that engulfed his suit and his apparent inability to stop moving, the momentum from his final attack pushing him onward, he was in serious trouble.

"Power down! Power down! It's not working, why is it not working?"

Things were moving too quickly, he needed to slow down, to think. But the power from his morpher, which failed to respond to his commands, kept him erratic, in a constant state of motion and incapable of rational thought.

"Need help... Zordon, must find Zordon. He should be here."

His morpher sparked, sending another jolt of energy through his body, forcing him to accelerate harder. He was in danger of breaking the barrier again and taking off to who knows where. Doing so would demolish everything around him and he realised he could not allow that. This was not his home, not the burnt out remains of a dying world that he had unintentionally left behind.

* * *

The Rangers pursued the burning mass as it accelerated down the highway. The flames that followed him were impossible to extinguish and when they saw him collide with a fuel tanker, they had feared the worse. The Jet Cycles had rapidly extinguished the fires by sucking vital air into their powerful engines and robbing the flames of vital fuel. An Ice Pellet from one of the Gem Coin Blasters that Billy had made available to all the Rangers, soon dealt with the incredible heat. There had been a terrifying moment when Rocky had disappeared into the cab to rescue the unfortunate driver. Adam had seen to the rapid evacuation of the minibus the fuel tanker had collided into. They had been fortunate that there had only been one fatality.

"Guys, that thing is moving," Pink Zeo warned.

The Rangers aimed their weapons, waiting for the creature that had caused so much destruction to attack them. All they heard though were the pained moans of an injured man.

"Zordon, we need a Power Box," Red Zeo said.

The Emergency Protocol Survival Pack, referred to as a Power Box by the Rangers, appeared in his hands and he used the advanced scanner inside to lock onto the strange creature.

"He's human," he confirmed, causing the Rangers to relax slightly although they didn't put their Zeo Pistols away; the scan had revealed he was human, not friendly.

"Got find Zordon, Rangers, future... need Zordon," they heard him say as he crawled from the burning wreckage. "Need help, help!"

"Calm down!" Adam commanded, his voice harsher than he intended. He didn't want to harm this strange looking human, but they needed him to relax while they decided what to do. It seemed the slightest movement on his part caused the air around him to burst into flame.

"Zordon, we're bringing him back to the Power Chamber," Tommy decided. "Have Alpha, Trini and Billy there." He thought and then added: "Make sure they have a fire extinguisher."

Meanwhile Tanya had approached the stranger and was trying to strap a communicator to his wrist. He instinctively recoiled from her touch, leading to another burst of super heated plasma.

"Hey, calm down," she warned. "Nobody will hurt you."

"Oh my god, you're them, thee Power Rangers!"

The Zeo Rangers glanced around nervously. He knew them, a fact that placed him at a considerable advantage.

"You are them, oh boy I heard all about you."

"We're going to teleport you to the Power Chamber," she explained, holding up her hands, as he was about to nod. "Just - try not to move."

"Let's go," Tommy said at last and the five Rangers along with the mysterious newcomer were teleported back to their headquarters.

* * *

"How is he?" Tanya asked some hours later.

When they had teleported him back to base, the Rangers had placed his body in a pressurised chamber. From there they could control the bursts of explosive energy that emerged whenever he moved.

"He's sleeping," Adam told her as he adjusted the controls.

Billy, Trini and Adam had been working hard trying to analyse the stranger and had already confirmed that he was indeed human, a badly injured human.

"He's a Ranger," Billy had confirmed after a few tests. "I don't recognise the signature of his powers, but whatever they are he is suffering from abusing them."

"You mean he's evil?" Jason asked.

"Negative," Billy answered. "His powers have been altered to function outside of their original parameters. He is suffering from the side effects."

"He's also not completely human," Trini said, causing some confusion. "His mind is human, he contains human DNA and some human organs, but at some point he's been altered, possibly following an injury."

"Ai-yi-yi, every bone in his body has been lined with metal, his joints have been reinforced and his muscles replaced with synthetic rubber."

"You said he had some organic parts?" Kat asked.

"His heart, lungs, a simplified digestive tract, part his brain - he has some sort of processor in there - and the inner portions of his spinal column are organic. His entire body has been augmented to survive the forces he experiences while morphed."

"Wait, there's something else," Billy called. "As you know, the cellular structure of every human has a unique chemical makeup determined by their planet of origin. It's not a genetic variance, but reflects the differing conditions of many human worlds."

"And your point is?" Kimberly asked.

"This Ranger was born on Earth."

"So who is he?" Rocky wondered. "And how did he end up like this?"

* * *

"I'm running his identity through the computer," Alpha told the Rangers after their guest had been stabilised. "If he is from Earth, then I should be able to locate his individual energy pattern within the Morphin Grid."

There was silence as the lights on the computer flashed.

"Alpha, can you find anything?" Trini asked.

"His energy signature is incompatible with our scans," Alpha told them.

"I was afraid of this Alpha," Zordon rumbled, "this Ranger may come from Earth, however he does not come from this Earth and has never lived here, which is why the computer cannot identify him. He must come from somewhere else; reconfigure the search translate his personal signature into base readings and then find a human with similar results."

"This could take time Zordon," Alpha warned as with Billy's help, he set to work.

* * *

He started to jerk, arms flailing wildly as he thrashed on the bed. The Rangers moved quickly, managing to hold him down long enough to secure his limbs with heavy metal plates; anything weaker would have lasted mere seconds against his struggling form.

"His powers are in flux," Billy said, watching the monitors as heart and blood pressure monitors continued to rise and fall erratically.

"He's going into metabolic shock," Alpha told them.

"What's metabol- what's that?" Kim asked.

"His powers are almost exhausted but refusing to shut down, so they're feeding on whatever fuel they can find. In this case: his body."

"If we can't find a way to stabilise him, he could die. And given how his morpher is responding, the lack of a living mind could send it into overload and take a large chunk of the planet with it," Billy confirmed.

"One morpher could do that?" Tommy asked.

"Our mysterious friend is drawing his powers from a source similar to the Morphin Grid. If his powers overload he could collapse the local grid and wipe out everything in the vicinity," Zordon warned. "We must act quickly Alpha, prepare for a Forced Demorph procedure."

"Zordon that's too dangerous," Billy warned. "The backlash could just as easily trigger an explosion."

"There is little choice Billy, we cannot risk a full scale overload."

"Don't worry man, Alpha and Zordon know what they're doing," Tommy said.

Billy tried to smile, but it was difficult to share Tommy's optimism. There was a good chance that whoever was inside that suit would perish during the procedure. Of course there was a good chance that he was already dead and that the powers had simply locked into place to protect a corpse.

"Activating now," he said resignedly as he pushed the series of buttons and watched as a sickly green beam of energy washed over the prone figure.

* * *

"Zordon, something's wrong!" Trini cried.

The readings were going haywire as the beam continued to sweep over the mysterious Ranger's body, a body that was slowly vanishing before their eyes.

"Alpha, stop the process immediately. I have made a serious error."

Alpha obeyed as Billy and Trini rushed forward to examine him.

"Zordon, he's still experiencing metabolic shock," Trini warned. "We have to continue."

"Negative," Billy told her. "Our original hypothesis was erroneous."

"Billy?" Tommy prompted.

"When I instructed Alpha to use the energy probe, I had hoped to short circuit his suit's power-down mechanism," Zordon explained.

"The problem," Alpha continued, "is that his suit doesn't have a shutdown sequence."

"You mean he's trapped inside his uniform?"

"I would postulate at this time that his powers are an intricate part of his body. He is a part of the Power and when Zordon and Alpha tried to demorph him, he was transferred back into the Morphin Grid."

"That is correct Billy," Zordon said. "If we had continued to use the beam, he would have disappeared to wherever his powers came from. And without a means to call them back, he would have been lost forever."

"His powers are still killing him," Tanya pointed out.

"Alpha, try to stabilise his powers. If we can control the fluctuations and dampen the energy waves we might be able to save him. If we do not stop the overload there will be nothing left of him to save."

"Yes Zordon," Alpha said.

"Billy, do you have any idea how he ended up like this?" Trini asked.

"The only logical explanation is that it was self inflicted, the pertinent question would be why?"

* * *

After hours of considerable effort, the Rangers had finally managed to pierce the strange armour and had injected a strong relaxant. With his body sedated, his powers had switched into standby mode, allowing the Rangers to study him.

"Why would somebody build a morpher that couldn't be turned off?" Rocky asked. The others were wondering the same thing.

"Desperation," Tommy suggested finally. "He's been in some sort of battle, so maybe he had to morph."

"Ai-yi-yi, I'm reading additional signatures," Alpha reported. "He has Triforian DNA!"

"Just who is this guy?"

**End of Part**


	4. The Mysterious Refugee - Dark W

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to the Mouse. This is a not for profit fan series. The first few scenes of this story belong to Ellen Brand.

Author's note: This story takes place in the Conquest of Evil Multiverse and shares its alternate time line. In case anybody is wondering, the basis of this story was written by Ellen Brand as part of a series called Fallen Heroes, which was later picked up and abandoned by Hellfire.

The Mysterious Refugee - Dark World

_"Just who is this guy?" _

* * *

A different Earth,

The Power Rangers had failed, the battle was lost and the Earth had fallen. Without the Earth as a beacon of hope the evil forces had rapidly spread throughout the known cosmos. By the dawn of the new millennium the dark forces ruled the universe. A few planets held out longer than others, some clung to the belief that they could make a difference, but the war had been lost before it had really started and those that remained were deluding themselves.

The Grid Masters, Masked Riders and numerous other organisations had been wiped out and their survivors were hunted down for sport. Pirates, smugglers and crime lords ruled those places that the numerous dark armies didn't care to dominate. It was without a doubt Hell on Earth. And as the years passed, it grew worse.

It had all started with Rita Repulsa and a spell cast upon a boy named Tommy Oliver. Tommy had been turned into the Evil Green Ranger and had fought against the five original Power Rangers. It had been a fierce struggle that ended with Tommy's defeat and the breaking of the spell. Tommy had then joined the Power Rangers and together the six warriors had fought back against Rita and her forces.

For a short time the advantage shifted to the Rangers and their new ally, but Rita did not give up on her plans for the Green Ranger. Unable to regain control of Tommy, she settled for destroying him and everything he stood for. She kidnapped Tommy a second time and used the wax from a magical green candle to drain his both his Green Ranger powers and his life energy. She employed the services of the Wizard of Deception to create a clone of Tommy that would use the energy her candle siphoned to fight in her name. And although Tommy prevented her claiming complete victory by passing the remnants of the Green Ranger's power to Jason, she still had her warrior.

The new Green Ranger was not under a spell and could not be redeemed. It retained Tommy's skills and knowledge, but lacked the hesitation the first Green Ranger had shown. And even though Zordon's Rangers retained the loyalty of the Dragonzord, Rita had allowed her Green Ranger to use the mighty War Zord Cyclopsis. It was not an easy battle, but with the aid of the demon Ekron - whom Rita called up after her preferred demon Lokar had failed-, Cyclopsis slew the Dino Zords.

And from there things got worse. Rita sacrificed the citizens of Angel Grove to secure Ekron's power before launching and all-out assault on the planet. City by city, country by country her forces smashed through the Earth's defences. Despite Zordon's attempt to provide them with new Zords using the Power of Thunder, they could not stop the evil army.

When the Command Center was breached and Zordon was brutally slaughtered, the Rangers were forced to flee. That was the day that many accepted that hope had been lost and the Earth belonged to Rita.

* * *

For the next few years the dark forces solidified their hold on the planet. Rita had been promoted by her superior and whisked off to serve in other parts of the evil empire. In her place the dark warrior Razak had been charged with hunting down all resistance. It was a task he had excelled at.

Razak had built himself a throne room in the ruins of the Command Center. The nearby cities had suffered the same fate as Angel Grove, their citizens slaughtered to feed Ekron. Once every six months a new city was sacrificed, sustaining the demon for another six months outside of his dimension. The ruined citizens had quickly turned into a wasteland.

The wall of the Command Center was filled with trophies Razak had collected. When an enemy dared to oppose his forces and lived, he hunted them down personally and took their corpses as his trophies. He had nailed the VR Troopers and Beetleborgs to the ceiling of his throne room; the bodies of the Pink, Black, Blue, Yellow and Red Rangers had been placed in glass cases under the remnants of Zordon's plasma tube. Razak had even recovered the body of the first Green Ranger from its resting place and kept it as a trophy.

Occasionally new Rangers had risen to oppose him. The Squadron Rangers had been the first to arise and had quickly fallen to the might of his army. The Aquitian Rangers had been a part of the expeditionary force sent to aid Zordon, but they had been of little help due to the environment; Razak had slaughtered them while they were trying to refresh their hydration levels. The Gold Ranger of Triforia had briefly led a team of Zeo Rangers against him of all the Rangers that he had fought, they were the greatest challenge, but in the end they too had fallen. The day that the last team of Rangers aided by the wizard Lerigot had fallen had been the day that Cyclopsis had stood over the ruins of the White House as the President of the United States of America surrendered.

Of all those that had dared to resist, only Justin Stewart survived for more than a few years. Justin had been given the power of Turbo by Lerigot but like the rest of his team had never had the time or the opportunity to learn how to use them properly. The others had been killed outright in their confrontation with Razak. Justin had lived on, his powers keeping him alive even as his paralysed body decayed.

He should have died from his injuries, but fate had decided to punish him for a while longer. He never knew who had pulled him from the brink of death that day or who had spent the next year watching over him as he slumbered. The medics had done their best to save him. His broken bones had been set and reconstructed using metal plates, screws and supports to hold them together. At the time it had been hoped that he would recover enough to one day walk with a brace. That was not to be though and a year later Justin Stewart's powers finally failed and his damaged heart stopped beating.

That was when attention shifted to the room's other patient. While Justin had been a Power Ranger, they had never planned for his to provide them with anything more than information. His body had been shattered during the battle with Razak and it had been accepted that a second fight would kill him. They had planned for him to be the figurehead around which the resistance could reform and the Underground could rise up.

The hope that he would one day lead the resistance was gone, but the information he had provided them had been useful. Lerigot had given the Turbo Rangers a brief history of the Power Rangers and their allies. Justin had passed this information on to those that had aided him. Most importantly, he had given them the history of the Power Rangers and the identity of all the Rangers he had known either personally or by reputation.

That information had allowed them to trace the families of former Rangers, seeking out likely relatives they could use. One particular tale led them to Marcus Oliver. Marcus was a distant relation of Tommy Oliver and a former US Marine. Since Marcus was alive and in theory possessed some genetic similarities with Tommy Oliver, he was an ideal candidate.

Using equipment stolen from enemy camps and parts they had salvaged from the Gold Ranger's pyramid, the scientists started to create a new team of Rangers. They located family members of other former Rangers and mixed their DNA together in the hope that somehow they could create a being capable of becoming a Ranger. The resulting child would be the saviour of their race.

At the same time the surviving military forces launched a combined attack on Razak's citadel. They failed to destroy him, but that had never been their intention; when he had been forced to step in to end the fighting and crush the last chance the Earthling had of beating him, a small team ransacked his throne room, stealing whatever they could carry. Not many made it out alive - for Razak did not take kindly to the deception and personally executed all those he caught-, but those that did took with them the means to build a new Ranger.

Despite all their hopes there was no way to make the child age faster. All they could do was train him as he grew, turning him into a weapon while keeping him hidden from the enemy. For ten years the Underground moved their weapon around the planet, hiding him for months at a time before shifting him to a new position. His life was harsh and the deaths of those around him was something he grew used to. It was a sign of desperation that with such limited resources available, the Underground chose to put all their efforts into the creation of a single combatant.

When he was fourteen his world changed. The resistance cell he had been hiding with had been betrayed. By that time Razak had secured an army of humans willing to serve him and his new empire in return for their lives. As Razak's forces raided the base, the child was evacuated through the sewers with instructions of where to go. He was left alone as those that had led him to safety drew Razak's forces away from him.

He used the knowledge he had acquired over the years to make his way across the country. He slipped into a small township just a few kilometres from what had once been Los Angeles. There he put into practice all the things he had learnt in order to stay alive. Over the years that followed he interacted with the local resistance, but no longer trusted his safety to the Underground: somebody inside the Underground had given away the location of the raided resistance cell and until that traitor was identified, he knew it wasn't safe to rely on anybody except himself.

After four years he knew he had to take the risk and set about trying to join a nearby cell. Faking an identity had been difficult; it was easy to create a new set of papers, but finding a way to get them placed in the records of the few reliable data sources proved problematic. The resistance movement was geographically based, each area relying on a local database. If you weren't on the database progressing into the resistance cell's inner circle was next to impossible.

But just as the need to be a part of the local network hindered him, so the loss of wide area networks allowed him to slip through the gaps. The Internet had remained although much of its data had been lost. Using skills one of the kids in Los Angeles had taught him, he managed to create a new identity on a national level and then inserted fractured details onto the local networks. It forced those searching to access the uncorrupted files, which he had been able to manipulate. He was never fully trusted, but he had access to the information he needed

He had been given the name Nathaniel Oliver and although he didn't understand its importance, it was the name he used when moving from group to group. Very few he allowed to refer to him as Nate. He had moved around the area, aiding the various resistance movements as he made his way inward toward the ruined city of Angel Grove.

It had been wise decision by the Underground to station their largest base within the ruins of Angel Grove. There beneath the site of Razak's earliest triumph they remained undetected. Angel Grove and the cities that surrounded it were believed to be cursed by the dark magic that sustained Ekron. This false rumour created a blind spot for Razak and his forces; Razak strongly believed that no force would dare oppose him from within his territory.

Inside Angel Grove he made contact with the Underground. They had been suspicious at first, but eventually decided that he could stay in their shelter. Still he was patient and made himself useful while maintaining a low profile; still most spies tried to ingratiate themselves with the Underground, his approach meant that he never drew their full attention.

As the months passed he found himself being asked to help with a few small jobs. He took the opportunity, built trust and laid low, biding his time while he tried to find a way to address a problem that those that created him had never managed to resolve: what to do about powers?

A Turbo Key had been recovered from Justin's body after his death. The morpher had been intact but out of power. Other morphers had been obtained during the raid on the citadel and stored at a secret location near to the Underground's shelter and included a damaged crystal of unknown origin. Along with a large arsenal of Ranger weapons and helmets, he had the makings of a small army. But without power they were just a collection of things.

The fact remained that he possessed the powers used by some of Earth's former protectors. He was for all intents and purposes the most powerful Ranger in history. Yet for all the power sources at his disposal, he was powerless because he lacked the technology to activate them.

He had stumbled upon the solution, literally, when returning to the shelter he had been spotted by one of the dark creatures that had taken up residence in the ruins of Angel Grove. He had been forced to run through the sewers and had gotten lost in the darkness when he had tripped on something. He had risked using his torch and discovered that it was a robot of some sort.

On a later expedition he had collected the remains and had taken them to the vault. He had recycled most of the body after realising that repair was far beyond his capabilities. However it had been a simple task to connect a power supply to the machine's motherboard. And in doing so he gained the knowledge he so desperately needed.

Alpha Eight was the machine's official designation, although he called it Tweeki. It had explained, after deciding he was not evil, that it had once been an assistant to the Power Rangers. When the citadel had been raided, his body had been part of their haul. But the truck carrying his remains had been destroyed by Razak and Tweeki had been lost in the sewers. Over the years a few soldiers from the Underground had passed the wreckage, but none had realised its importance.

Tweeki had limited functionality, but then it was little more than a processor, sound board and a scavenged security camera. It had been able to explain to him about the Power Rangers and for the first time he had somebody that could guide him.

"You have enough powers here to conquer the planet single-handedly," Tweeki told him. "You could make a whole team of Rangers."

"But who do I ask?" Nathaniel pondered. Although the intention had always been that he would lead the fight alone, he recognised the benefit of having others there to fight alongside him.

"Not so fast there," Tweeki cautioned. "First you have to get some of these thinga-me-jiggies working first."

With Tweeki to help him the work had started to turn the broken pieces of the past into working morphers. It was difficult since he had never seen a working model and there had been the additional problem that the parts that had been damaged differed from one morpher to the next and the components were not easily found. In the end he had been forced to split the transformation devices into groups and then cannibalise the individual units to make one or two working models. When that failed he was forced to combine the different technologies to create one device that could be deemed functional even if it was a positive health hazard.

"If you use that thing you risk blowing a hole in the planet," Tweeki had warned.

The android had been occupied with other tasks and had not had the opportunity to oversee Nathaniel's activities. When he did, every warning sensor in his body had been triggered. The crystalline receivers used to channel energy into the Turbo Keys had been combined to provide a single output for the multitude of devices he had somehow wired together. It appeared that the young man had broken just about every safety regulation regarding morphing technology, overloading a subspace pocket in order to disguise the immensity of his project. In the end all but one component had been assembled and it was this one that had kept Nathaniel from attempting to use the completed apparatus.

"You cannot morph, Nathaniel," Tweeki had insisted. "Without fitting an energy regulator this monstrosity could explode and kill all those you're trying to save. And if you fit the ones you have you still won't have a complete shut off; the powers will consume you."

"So if I choose to become a Ranger?"

"You would would not become a Ranger," Tweeki warned him. "Only a Grid Master could declare you a Ranger and there are none left. You would become something else... you could cease to be human, your body permanently changed by the process; it could make you a monster."

"Okay, so that's out of the question. We need another plan Tweeki," Nathaniel declared, looking at the robot speculatively.

"You're not asking much, are ya?" Tweeki's speech processor was unreliable, constantly changing dialects and languages, sometimes so bad that even Tweeki couldn't understand the words emerging from his speaker. It was not according to the machine an uncommon fault. An earlier model had featured an accent and speech patterns that had a tendency to slip from Brooklyn, to an almost feminine tone, to a very robotic sounding voice. Then he noticed the way Nathaniel was looking at him. "Bidi-bidi-bidi. Oh no you don't buddy, hands off the metal."

A short time later Alpha wished that he had been left in the sewer.

The work continued as the months and years passed. Occasionally they would check some part of the morpher, but never allowed it to fully activate. Nathaniel's body had been reinforced during his early years with materials intended to protect his bones and strengthen his muscles. The result was that he was partially inorganic. He had suggested that his altered body he could survive the abusive energies they were attempting to use. Tweeki had replied that it was more likely that his organic parts that would be stripped away, leaving only the inorganic parts.

It had been the contents of the Gold Ranger's pyramid that had provided the answer. When the raiding party had gotten inside the vast machine they had found the body of one of its operators. Unable to move the entire body they had taken some DNA samples. That DNA would prove to be the answer to Nathaniel's problem.

* * *

While Rita had joined Lord Zedd in conquering other worlds, Razak had been charged with the task of crushing all resistance on Earth and supplying Ekron with the lifeforce he needed to remain outside of his dimension. In the years following the fall of the planet, a new team of Rangers had appeared. They had been destroyed quickly, but Razak had never found the Gold Ranger's weapon.

The Golden Power Staff, a symbol of the Gold Ranger powers, had been retrieved from the fallen Ranger by his sisters and spirited away from the battle. In the years that followed they had searched for somebody capable of using the Gold Ranger powers. But their luck finally ran out when they ran afoul of the Furies - a team of semi-human warriors who had been created by Lord Zedd to serve Razak's army-, had arrived. The siblings had been forced to split up.

The Furies had pursued the siblings around the globe. They had concentrated on finding Trion, the one they believed had given powers to a small resistance group, not realising that it was Trianna who carried the Golden Power Staff. By doing so they allowed Trianna and Nathaniel to meet.

Trianna had been dying when Nathaniel had found her, and it seemed that nothing he had attempted could stem the flow of blood. Before he finally left her, believing that she was dead, she had given him Golden Power Staff, somehow sensing that within his genetic makeup was sufficient to prevent the side effects that previous Earthlings had endured. It had been enough to give Earth a second chance.

* * *

Since that time the Furies had turned their attention to the human resistance while secretly monitoring events on Earth for Lord Zedd.

It was just weeks later that Nathaniel was forced to test his new powers. Tweeki had found a way to phase the energy flowing through the morpher, meaning that when used at its minimum setting, he could force a shutdown. It was not a real solution and should he ever need more than the minimum of power, he would still find himself in a dangerous situation. It had started with a large briefing with the Underground's leader.

"Captain Oliver, reporting for duty, Ma'am," Nathaniel saluted as he walked into the briefing area. Major Carrington nodded.

"Where's the rest of your team, Captain?" she asked curiously.

"Here we are, Ma'am," replied Matt Corbett, rushing in at the head of the group. "We got a little held up. Adelle was having some problems with the kids, and asked for our help."

Major Carrington nodded. "Understandable. Take your seats, this meeting is important."

They did as she told them, noting that the meeting was being broadcast to resistance cells around the globe.

"We have been given a unique opportunity to damage the enemy," she told them. "For years Razak has followed the same pattern, destroying a town or city every six months. Until now the reason behind these attacks has remained a mystery. Our spies have confirmed that Rita Repulsa made a pact with the demon known as Ekron and that he has been a key part of Razak's power."

A picture of Ekron appeared in the background. When he had first been summoned he had been just a head. After years of feeding he had managed to pull more and more of his body from his own dimension. The new image made them wish he had stayed as a head.

"Ekron's ability to aid Rita requires him to stay in this dimension. In order to do so he requires a sacrifice every six months."

The picture changed to show a map and an aerial photo.

"Razak stopped destroying cities when the world's governments fell. He now uses holding pens to store humans until the time comes to sacrifice them. Make no mistake the humans inside these pens live miserable lives until they are sacrificed. If we can prevent this from happening we believe Ekron will be forced to return to his dimension and that Rita Repulsa will be unable to summon him back for a time. I cannot stress that this is our opportunity to rescue Razak's victims and strike a blow to weaken his grip upon our world."

The map was expanded to show multiple targets.

"This will be the largest coordinated strike against the enemy since the raid on his citadel. Only by keeping Razak from delivering his sacrifice can we hope to survive. Therefore the Underground will rise up and attack Razak's forces directly. You have all been given details of your intended targets; you are permitted to use any means necessary to achieve your mission. Good luck to all of you."

There were a number of confirmations and then the screens went blank.

"Captain Oliver, your team will not be involved in the attacks," she told him before holding up a hand to halt his protest. "Our intelligence reveals Razak has not finished transporting humans for the next sacrifice. They are being moved via the old road networks close to Angel Grove. Your task is to stop that convoy by whatever means necessary. If he does not have enough humans the sacrifice will fail. Destroying his convoy will be enough to stop him, destroying the pens will guarantee success. Do you understand?"

The five younger soldiers nodded. "Yes Ma'am. We understand," Nathaniel replied for all of them.

"Dismissed, then." With salutes, the six left the briefing room.

"So how are we going to attack this, fearless leader?" Anna Diamond asked. Anna had lived in Reefside when the first attacks had started. She and a few of her school friends had been helped into hiding in the woods surrounding the city by the Red Ranger shortly before he had been killed. Those who had stayed there had eventually managed to get into the networked shelter provided by Underground, the largest resistance cell in the area.

"I'm not sure yet. Tasha, what's the area like?"

The woman known as Tasha shrugged. "It's on the outskirts of town, and the road passes through a narrow canyon. I figure we can probably hit them when they pass through the narrowest point. Their weapons will be useless, and with the way our stunner bolts ricochet, we'll be able to hit them even if we aren't aiming at them."

"I have something new to try," Kat Manx offered. She was a blockade runner who along with a small team had managed to reach Earth when her own planet had fallen. Now she served as a technician and data interpreter. She was older than the rest of the team by more than fifty years and in addition to training the humans to fight back, had helped deal with some of the personality conflicts that had arisen during the early years. She pulled out a set of round metal balls. "Short wave disruptors. It should help you get close."

Franklin Park, another Angel Grove survivor nodded. "It's worth a try."

"Sam?"

"We should probably attack from all sides, at once. They'll never know what hit them and we can be gone before they wake up."

Sam Collins was from North Valley and an accomplished hacker. He had been there when his school had been destroyed. He and his family had fled, but months later they had been found and his parents had been struck down. Sam and a few of his friends had taken refuge in an underground cellar. They had remained there until everyone had left and had missed the rescue parties that had swept through just days later. It had taken weeks before they had found somebody willing to help them after that. As young as they had been at the time, it was a wonder that they had survived.

"All right," Nathaniel decided, pulling the team into a huddle. He was the youngest member of the team by at least twelve years, yet they listened to his instructions. "Here's what we do..."

"See it?" Franklin whispered, hours later. Nathaniel nodded.

"Yeah. Let's go. Nice and easy."

The raid went exactly as planned. The old roads were treacherous and once the attack started the convoy found itself trapped. The guards and drivers were quickly dealt with and the prisoners were released. As local resistance teams ferried the prisoners away to safety, the five soldiers set their explosives to destroy the transports; they didn't want Razak to have the opportunity to use them again.

Nathaniel looked around grimly. "This is almost too easy."

"Don't say that!" Anna cried as a column of light marked the arrival of the enemy. "You'll jinx us!"

"Too late," Nathaniel gulped as he laid eyes on Razak. "Scatter! Get that stuff back to the Underground!"

"What are you going to do?" Franklin cried back.

"I'll try and keep him busy," returned Nathan, turning to face the newcomer.

"Is that really him?" Franklin asked as his eyes picked out the lead villain.

Sam nodded, he remembered watching as the creature before them had torn his father apart in front of him. After that he had spent days in a stupor, unable to call for help when it finally arrived.

"That's him, that's Razak," he confirmed as they quickly departed with the supplies.

"Your friends are gone, little man," Razak said as he watched them vanish.

"Good, that means I won't have to explain things," Nathaniel said coldly. "Let's rock!" The two began to circle each other.

"You're a fool to stand against me," Razak sneered before he turned to look at the convoy. "Why did you attack my convoy?"

"We're the resistance, striking at the enemy and stealing supplies is what we do," Nathaniel chuckled.

"You're lying," Razak stated. "This wasn't some random strike against a supply truck. SUpply trucks don't carry extra guards, you were prepared for them. Now I'll ask again, why did you attack this convoy?"

"Why you think?" Nathaniel shot back, still looking for an escape route.

Razak was prevented from answering when one of his soldiers teleported in and whispered something to him. Nathaniel could sense the anger radiating from the villain. It was clear the villain was putting the pieces together. Surprisingly, he laughed.

"So you thought you could interfere in Rita's little pact did you?" he asked. "You humans have caused me a lot of trouble today, but you've failed."

"By now your pens are under attack," Nathaniel argued. "You might kill me but you'll never make your sacrifice."

Again Razak laughed.

"Humans are so foolish. Did any of you really believe that you would be allowed to build a resistance cell under Angel Grove without me knowing about it. How many humans do you think are inside that complex right now? More than enough for my purposes."

Nathaniel recoiled in shock. The Underground had long believed that they were safe from Razak inside the boundaries of Angel Grove. They had thought that the villain believed they would never dare place a resistance cell so close to his citadel and therefore never bothered to search for them. Instead it seemed that he had been using them all along.

"Don't look so surprised," Razak said. "I know the locations of all your resistance cells. The Underground exists as a way of keeping you humans where I can find you. But I wouldn't worry about that right now, your end is near. Running won't help you, perhaps you should try begging."

"I'm not going to beg, the Power Rangers never begged when they nearly defeated you..." Nathaniel told him defiantly.

Mentally Nathaniel was berating himself for being so stupid. He wasn't ready to face this villain now; he needed more time to complete the repairs.

"How would you know kid, you weren't even there when I destroyed them?"

"Power Rangers never give up!" Nathaniel told him. It was something Tweeki had told him and he had come to believe it.

"No, they don't. But being brave didn't help them stay alive now did it? Being smart and running, never looking back... that would have allowed them to last a little longer... perhaps." He chuckled. "If you ask nicely, I'll make sure you don't suffer the way they did."

"That's not going to happen," Nathaniel snarled. "The Rangers of the past are gone, now you have to face something new."

"Really, I don't see any Rangers coming out of the woodwork, just a child that doesn't know when to run. I have the power of darkness running through me and you are nothing," Razak warned.

Nathaniel didn't move, staring down his opposition. The challenge had been made and he wasn't going to back down.

Razak chuckled. When he had been turned loose upon the world he had expected the humans to fall before him and beg for mercy. That had not happened. They had fought him and in doing so their suffering had only been prolonged. It was a game that he had enjoyed playing since it had made him stronger. Still he had been surprised at how the humans continued to resist despite the inevitable fate that awaited them. In some cases he had been forced to destroy entire islands.

But now the game was coming to an end. He had heard rumours that some of the cells were planning to launch a strike against him. While he welcomed the bloodshed such an attack would cause, it meant they were getting braver. So it was time to end the little contest by destroying all opposition. He would use whatever force they sent against him and turn it back on its creators. He would sacrifice the entire planet to Ekron if he had to.

While Razak was gloating, Nathaniel had been studying his foe. The villain was different to how he had imagined him to be. Perhaps this was not his true form. His helmeted face showed a few scrapes from various attempts to stop him, his confidence showed that he believed that he was in full control of the situation, that he alone rule this world. Nathaniel had visited several of the concentration camps in recent years and knew that if anything Razak's forces used methods of enforcement that were harsher than any medieval regime. Torture and public executions were frequent, strict work quotas were brutally enforced as sectors not meeting his constantly increasing demands were ransacked.

"Tell me before I kill you, what is your name?"

"Nathaniel Oliver."

"How fitting."

Nathaniel just smirked back. If he was going to die here, today, then he would do so knowing that in the end he had managed to keep something from the villains that had destroyed his world.

"You shouldn't worry about who I am," Nathaniel told him. "You should worry about what I can do."

"And what can you do, fire a gun?" he asked. Was that hope in his voice? Was Razak really that bored? "No, that couldn't be it, you're too confident for that. Maybe... no, impossible... those powers were destroyed years ago."

"Not destroyed, just damaged," Nathaniel explained. "And nothing is impossible if you're prepared to work for it."

"And you plan to use them? Don't waste your time; the Rangers of old relied on those powers and the last one could barely hold his uniform together. They offered no protection when he needed them the most, they failed."

"Well, they weren't perfect," Nathaniel admitted. "I tried to fix them and failed. So I improvised."

"So you're smarter than you look," the villain acknowledged. "Let's see if you have what it takes, shall we? Take him!"

A group of his personal Putty Patrollers attacked and Razak gleefully observed the battle. It was a good way to gauge Nathan's skill before he finished him. He observed the youth as he fought. The boy- no, Nathaniel was a man and demonstrated a great deal of confidence. He was impressed that while Nathaniel fought hard against his soldiers, he also used them to keep the stronger warriors at bay.

"Aspect Changer!"

Nathaniel concentrated on summoning his transformation devices. In the end he had combined the technology of the Turbo Keys and the Golden Power Staff along with the other morphers. Individually they had been too badly damaged, but he had been able to cannibalise them to create a single working unit.

On his back he had strapped what Tweeki had designated a Power Box, which he had gutted and turned into a container for the five Turbo Keys, an old morpher, a Power Coin, and the sawn off shaft of the Golden Power Staff. His attempts to use the Triforian power source had failed. A thick cable led from the Power Box down the left arm to where he had placed one half of a Zeoniser he had gotten somewhere. A similar cable ran down the right arm to the other part of the Zeoniser and drew power from the Zeo Crystal he had stored in subspace. Silently he brought the two parts together, activating the complicated circuit and transforming himself into his new form.

Razak's eyes narrowed. The boy had access to Ranger technology and had clearly managed to make a single working model, which meant that this child was indeed the last Ranger. He observed that this costume was a dark shade of red with a grid of thin green lines for contrast. It was also armour as opposed to simple fabric. The design had a shoulder shield that was a combination of the Green Ranger's outfit combined with the Gold Ranger's uniform. In his left hand he held a long rectangular shield and in his right hand he carried a blaster.

Nathaniel charged at the grunts, his modified blaster unleashing bolts of frozen air, shattering their armour while leaving them mostly unharmed as he shifted from one position to the next. His shield made an effective battering ram when he tilted it to act like a wedge, forcing the various soldiers out of his way. Lacking in raw strength, Nathaniel had concentrated using his knowledge to his advantage. On the downside, he had been unable to duplicate the reactive protection that he believed was an intrinsic part of the previous powers. That meant that he was vulnerable should one of his opponents land a hard blow, but having some armour was better than nothing in his opinion. Besides, the shield did help to make up for the rest of his suit's shortcomings.

He was a blur in motion, the five sets of Turbo Keys having contributed to his capabilities and his Triforia enhanced senses gave him the ability to anticipate his opponents' moves. His handheld weapon came with a handy extendable club, an effective means of dealing with opponents. He easily avoided the augmented aliens' attacks, using his side arm to take out multiple foes.

"Impressive," Razak commended as Nathaniel rendered the last trooper unconscious. "But there are always more."

A large explosion signalled the arrival of a second squadron, all prepared for action. Nathaniel used the safety catch on his pistol to switch its ammunition to an alternative type. When he fired it, the weapon unleashed a widespread burst of high frequency sonic waves. The troops placed their hands to their helmeted heads as Nathaniel took advantage of a flaw he had uncovered in their design; it seemed that while their armour was immune to sonic weapons, the correct frequency could cause feedback in their helmet's audio circuitry. It was an easily fixed problem, but it took time for them to counter the effects.

Razak watched all of this, his face schooled to not let his enjoyment show. His mistress had declared the Power Rangers of Earth were gone. This proved that the dark forces were not infallible after all. Nathaniel was showing through his fighting that he was a worthy challenge, perhaps the distraction he needed from the tedium of ruling the Earth. He would have to defeat him, there was no question of that; it would not do to give the Underground a sense of hope. Perhaps he could leave him alive and then have the fun of hunting him down over a few months before finishing him off.

Or perhaps there was another way to get some enjoyment out of the occasion. He concentrated on his right arm, forcing one of his many toys to appear. This was a weapon capable of decimating armies fuelled by his hatred.

"Do you know what this is Boy?" he asked, pointing the blood stained iron club towards his enemy.

Nathaniel shook his head. He had never seen anything like it.

Razak smiled cruelly, this was the weapon that had taken out hundreds of humans with a single blow. Regardless, if Nathaniel was not careful then history would repeat itself with him.

"Time to join your predecessors in death," the villain said. He launched a ball of black fire from the club.

Nathaniel moved and the ball shot past him. When Razak fired a second time, Nathaniel moved again, this time making a point of returning to his previous location once the blast had passed him. The villain unleashed a third shot and a fourth. A whole volley of blasts that tore up the surrounding area but failed to connect with the Ranger. Finally Razak let out a roar of triumph as one of his shots caught Nathan's shield, which promptly disappeared, allowing another shot to strike him in the chest. It was all over, Nathaniel had proven an inventive opponent, Razak would not tire.

Nathaniel remained standing, his uniform crackling as the disruptive energy tried to short out his powers. He had stopped moving and as Razak looked closer, he could see that the younger man was laughing.

"What is so funny?" he asked. Then his aura seemed to darken as he realised that Nathaniel was still transformed. "So you managed to survive one ball of flames." he mused before firing again. "You won't be so lucky this time."

The fire hit Nathaniel head on and accomplished nothing. The Ranger remained standing, showing no acknowledgement of the impact. It seemed the weapon no longer worked.

"You underestimated me," Nathaniel told his foe. "I didn't just repair these powers, I unified them. I made sure I knew how the Rangers had fallen, I asked the witnesses you left behind, and I made sure I had a way to avoid it. The Power Rangers of old aren't gone; they'll never be forgotten. These powers are the link to the past, the legacy that won't die; you can call me just Ranger." Under his helmet Nathaniel smiled, he enjoyed the look of confusion as Razak tried to decide whether that revelation mattered. "Tweeki, are you done with the programming?"

Despite his best attempts to find substitutes, there had been some components he had been forced to use from the old morphers, components that placed restrictions on his abilities. He had hoped that when he had installed Tweeki's motherboard in his helmet, that the android would be able to rewrite the programming. So far he had had little success and they were now behind schedule.

"Don't get ya knickers in a knot Nathan," Tweeki replied, his accent mostly restored after several attempts to find a new speech processor. "There ya go, safety protocols are off."

With the safety systems offline, Nathaniel was no longer protected from his collisions. On the plus side nor were his opponents.

"You can't harm me," the dark warrior boasted, "I defeated all the Rangers, I know how Rangers fight."

"You know how the Power Rangers fought," Nathaniel reminded him, speeding forward.

As he moved, he could sense the friction around him increasing, burning him as his armour glowed from the heat he was generating. At his speed he would normally have activated a shield to protect himself and those around. But against Razak, Nathaniel planned to use those side effects to his advantage.

"Full power!" he cried, extending his fist as he ploughed forward.

He watched with some satisfaction, as Razak seemed to realise something was wrong. When the Ranger's fist connected, all the built up energy was unleashed, allowing Nathaniel to drive his fist into the villain's chest. The clone staggered back, a huge hole visible on both the front and back of his armour. His inhuman eyes widened as he looked at Nathaniel in disbelief. How had a mere human managed to harm him?

"This little victory means nothing," Razak warned.

"Oh but it does," Nathaniel answered. "By now the Underground has obliterated your holding pens. Angel Grove has been abandoned and your sacrifice will fail. It's not much, but it's a good start and without Ekron to help you, I'm betting the people of this world will find it much easier to strike back."

"You've won a single battle, not the war!" Razak told him, gesturing to the open wound, which even now was oozing something. "This can be fixed. Next time we meet..."

"There won't be a next time," Nathaniel told him. "This ends here, today! With you gone and without Ekron to help, the people of this world will have time to fight back and prepare for Rita." He looked at his smoking hands. "This world isn't for invaders or the phantoms from the past. It's time to give the people of the universe a reason to keep fighting and the people of Earth the knowledge that they can fight back."

He charged again, this time with his hand clenched drawing on the power inside of it, reaching out to those who had come before him, the spirits of the past Rangers. He could almost feel their presence as they lent him their strength. This was an abuse of the Power and would surely destroy years of work. In the end though he had no choice; for the universe to be restored to peace, Razak had to be vanquished. Only then could the fight begin against the true villains.

"Full power!" he cried, as he circled the villain, creating a vortex of energy that rippled through the fabric of the universe. Purple lightning flashed around the destructive funnel as he continued to build up speed. At some point the lightning started to strike him, sending his powers into overload.

He didn't stop, the vortex reached critical mass and Razak was growing ever more desperate, but Nathaniel maintained his efforts. And then when his body was on the point of collapse, he stopped running in circles and threw a punch directly at his opponent.

Razak's helmet cracked as the villain was flung far away, but Nathaniel did not have the time to comprehend his victory for his actions had had unexpected consequences.

* * *

In another reality, a villain name Minion had been driven to the height of power by his insanity, which had almost led to the destruction of all existence. Although the heroes of his reality had found a way to reverse the damage, the incident had created a dimensional weakness. Small whirlpools of folds in time and space were scattered around the focal point of the instability: Earth. And although for the most part these invisible doorways only transported people across space, there were a few that reached beyond the boundaries of time and even reality; usually such doorways were accessible only from their origin point.

Nathaniel Oliver's unexpected use of his full powers had vibrated through space and time, resonating with the dimensional frequency of one such doorway. The excessive energy forced it open from the far side as the overload pushed him onward. Like a magnet the swirling vortex attracted his uncontrollable powers and pulled him towards it. Unable to stop as he was thrown forcibly through the exit point, which had reacted violently to being opened from the wrong side, he had torn through the streets of a very different Angel Grove, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. And that had been the point at which the Rangers had found him.

* * *

Prime Reality

"We don't have a choice," Tommy said after the facts had been reviewed. "Either we deactivate his powers or they'll explode, destroying the rest of the planet with them."

"Affirmative," Billy agreed sadly. He didn't want to be the one to propose killing of an innocent, but a single life against the whole planet? It was an uncomfortable position and a decision that could not be put off.

"There is always an alternative," Zordon told them. "In this case I believe we must trust that the Power will protect him. Alpha, time has run out, reinstate the probe."

There was a whoosh of teleportation as a few of the Rangers, unwilling to kill under any circumstances, chose to leave.

* * *

On the table Nate's body flickered as his powers were forced to shut down. As the Power left him, his body fought to survive the shock. The energies he had wielded when morphed were trying to draw him back into the depths of the universe from which they came. Just as his body was about to give up, a small spark of energy ignited once more. He started to glow, his powers rebuilding him from the inside out, creating a new life from the broken man. His aura flared as his armour appeared to vanish, leaving Nate Oliver to sleep off his ordeal.

"Quickly Alpha, place him in a Healing Capsule," Zordon instructed.

"Will he be okay, Zordon?" Kat asked.

"I do not know Katherine," Zordon admitted. "The molecules within the tube will help his body to heal. After that we will need to monitor him closely."

Alpha and Billy locked the capsule's door and turned on the tap, allowing the tube to fill with a healing solution. A series of monitors came to life as the sealed capsule started to work on its newest occupant.

"There is nothing more you can do here today Rangers," Zordon told them. "Should anything occur, Alpha and I will contact you."

The Rangers nodded and teleported away, many of their questions remaining unanswered.

* * *

Earth, another reality

The humans had succeeded, the sacrifice had failed and Ekron had been driven back to his own dimension. Without the demon's power the warriors that Rita had left to aid Razak had been seriously weakened. For the first time in decades the sky was clear.

Razak had retreated to his citadel to lick his wounds. Rita and Lord Zedd had not been pleased with his failure and had punished him severely. Only the promise that he would crush the Underground had caused them to spare his life for the time being. Nathaniel Oliver had hurt him, badly, but it would take more than a mere mortal to defeat one of Rita Repulsa's greatest monsters.

"The Power Rangers are history!" he snarled. "Justin Stewart was the last of his kind and he died in that chasm. Nathaniel Oliver cannot be a Ranger." He paused. "Why has this so-called Ranger not been brought to me, he should have been been found by now?"

"We can't find him," one of the Furies admitted. "When the Ranger- er thing attacked, he disappeared."

"He cannot hide forever," he admonished her, fixing her with a cold glare. "It is of no matter. He is gone and whatever hopes he raised will soon be dashed. The time has come to end this game. I will crush the rebellion and then use this entire planet as a sacrifice to bring Ekron back once more. It is time to bring this game to an end."

**End**


	5. Night School

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers, they belong to the current copyright owners. The Night Rangers were the creation of John Chubb.

Night School

It was another day on Daos and for Jeff Kincaid it was an introduction to the finer points of becoming a Night Ranger.

"The Night Stick," Mark said as he held the silver cylinder so Jeff could see. "Primary weapon of the Night Fighters and the Night Rangers." He give it a twist and a metal guard sprang out. "Night Saber mode... it's most common configuration. The cross-guard is optional," he explained before twisting a second time, which caused a metallic blade to emerge from one end of the cylinder. "Useful when you use it as a normal sword, but..." another flick and the sword ignited with blue energy, "not so helpful when using the energy blade."

A quick twist caused the weapon to revert to its default form. Of course the weapon had other functions such as search light and scanner, but it was mostly suited to cutting down enemies. He tossed the weapon to Jeff and watched the teen examine it closely.

"You'll be getting training from the elders," Mark promised. "The powers give you an instinctive knowledge of how to fight, but practice is the best teacher."

Actually pain was the best teaching in Mark's opinion, but he didn't want to scare Kincaid off too soon. It had taken far too long to recruit him in the first place.

Even though Jeff tried to follow the movements Mark made to switch the Dark Saber between its various modes, he was unable to learn everything just by watching. But by the end of the demonstration he understood that while it was called a Night Saber, the standard weapon of the Night Ranger could be transformed into a variety of weapons just be manipulating the cylinder and having a clear idea of what was needed.

Next was a dark cloak with a large hood. Although it seemed heavy when he took it from Mark, the moment he put it on the weight seemed to vanish. He pulled the hood up and was surprised to find that he could see through it.

"There a visual receptors built into the material," Mark explained. "They allow you to see what's going on around you even when you have the hood locked in place and help with the camouflage."

In addition to the visual sensors there were visual projectors built into the cloak. Combined with the dark colour and light absorbing action of the material, it allowed the user to project the image of what was behind them onto the surface, making it appear that there was nothing to see. It was not a perfect method of blending in and Mark had warned him that it would likely only fool those not paying complete attention to what was going on.

"Perfect for striking at boring outposts that never get any excitement, less useful when robbing a high security vault," Mark warned.

"Why isn't it black?" Jeff asked.

"Because as a colour black is rarely found in nature and not much use except on parking lots. Any skilled lookout will be looking for something unusual and that would tip them off. Greys and darker tones look more natural and absorb light better... You'll find the cloak will adjust without your input, but you can override it. In daylight, well a tatty grey cloak makes you look like the sort of person that most folks would sooner avoid, which helps ensure that people don't bother you."

The next item was an arm brace that Mark explained was one of the models given to Night Rangers and those leading groups of Night Fighters. In addition to an energy shield, the brace offered a communicator, mini computer and in Jeff's case remote control system for some of the Night Rangers' equipment.

"Which leads us to your Zord," Mark said.

Since the Night Rangers were not recognised as Rangers, they could not ask the Morphin Masters to provide them with Zords. Instead they built their own machines and called them Zords, something that the Morphin Masters and Galactic Council fiercely protested but were powerless to prevent. Given the Night Rangers disregard for rules those protests fell on death ears. As did the concerns expressed about how big the machines were in comparison with other Zords. Mark had explained that in addition to being used in the traditional way, the Night Zords also acted as troop carriers for the Night Fighters under their command.

"The Night Rangers based their Zords upon the predators of the night," Mark explained. "Both real and mythological... by Earth standards."

Jeff recognised some of the machine before him. The bat, the wolf, the owl, the fox, the snake and the lion were all night time hunters on Earth, although he was quickly coming to realise that what an Earthling considered to be a lion and what the rest of the universe considered to be a lion were very different. The imposing bear, a creature Mark identified as a velociraptor, the cougar, the leopard, the tarantula, the scorpion and the tiger. There were two more Zords in the hangar: the Tasmanian wolf and something else that had only been started recently.

"Unlike other teams the Night Rangers don't associate a Zord with a colour," Mark told him. "You pick a Zord you want and if it hasn't been claimed by somebody else it's yours. If it has or if there is something you prefer well we can always ask the techs to try and build one for you; I warn you now our engineers are good but they are painfully slow when it comes to completing their work. Luckily anytime a new Zord is commissioned the old Zords are reallocated to the Night Fighters until needed again."

Jeff studied the Zords before him. He was drawn to the incomplete machine, but something pulled him toward the wolf. It was a feral looking beast with large wings on its back. He could feel the eyes of its onboard computer watching him and as he drew near it snarled. Jeff ignore the threatening growls as he reached out and touched it. At once the machine stopped as its grey metal armour turned dark blue.

"Looks like you have a Zord," Mark said. "Don't worry about the colour, you can change it if you want. Just try and remember to keep it dark and stay away from hot pink."

And finally Mark handed him a small box and told him to place it against his arm brace. He remembered he had seen Mark do the same when he had used his morpher during Jeff's first mission as a Night Ranger, but Mark had never told him what it was for and had asked for Jeff's morpher back before they had journeyed to Daos.

"The brace on your arm is the Blue Night Morpher. However, before it can be used by a new avatar, it needs to be unlocked. That little box contains the spells, computer code and testimony from an existing Night Ranger, needed to unlock its powers, " Mark told him. "It's now keyed to you personally. When you are fully connected to the Spirits of the Night you'll be able to draw on its full power, but in the meantime, it will offer the same protection as a Night Fighter receives. I tweaked the appearance so that only those who know the difference - other Night Rangers - can tell which you are using. To activate it just say: Blue Night Ranger Activate... you can change the command to something better if you want."

And with that Jeff was fully equipped to start his quest to become a Night Ranger. Now it was a matter of taking the challenges ahead and learning from the Elders of the Acexta to use his abilities to their fullest.

"Next stop: the Pit of Night," Mark told him as he led the way out of the temple toward one of the known entrances. "This entrance is home to some minor spirits. Most of those wishing to become Night Fighters come here for their first time. Once inside one of the creatures will challenge you. If you defeat it, it will be bound to the service of the Night Fighters and will connect you to the Spirits of the Night. That will give you the right to try and use the Night Morpher's full power."

"And if I fail?" Jeff asked.

"We'll need to find another candidate... don't fail."

"Any useful advice?"

Mark thought for a moment. "The more powerful you appear to be the more powerful the opponent you will face. Think about it when deciding what to do."

Jeff considered the advice and with a shrug removed his cloak and morpher. He stashed his Night Saber in his back pocket and moved his sleeve to cover the arm brace. He noticed an approving look on Mark's face, which quickly disappeared as he made his way to the entrance. He could see a barrier of some kind and after looking back for approval, Jeff Kincaid stepped forward to meet his destiny.

* * *

The Pit of Night as it turned out was another dimension filled with hostile spirits, minor demons and weird creatures. And in a place so barren of life, the appearance of a fresh soul drew the interest of the many occupants. Over time a hierarchy had developed within the Pit of Night that decided the order in which the denizens were allowed to attack their prey. Only when the older demons had decided that a single human was not worth their time and turned away did the smaller creatures venture forward.

There was a brief squabble and then one of the creatures stepped forward. It growled a challenge and then attacked, binding the contract with its actions.

Jeff responded to the attack with a swivel kick, bringing the creature down. He whipped out the Night Saber, earning the sudden renewed interest of the older creatures and with a single slice cut out the creatures legs. He stepped back as he had been instructed and waited for the creature to decide its fate. When it adopted a submissive posture he deactivated the Night Saber and pointed the end at the submissive creature. A leash of dark blue energy coiled around the beast's neck, binding it to his soul.

With a nod to the angry creatures that watched him, Jeff departed.

* * *

The sensation was overwhelming as Jeff felt his connection to the Spirits of the Night, the hostile spirits bound to the will of the Night Fighters flare. He could sense them, all those creatures that had faced the challenge and been forced to submit. While hostile they no longer posed a threat and whispered words of warning in his mind.

"It'll pass soon," Mark promised. "After that you will only hear them if you want to."

The priests of the Acexta actually communed with the enslaved spirits, using them to track the villains the Night Fighters sought to defeat. While reluctant they were unable to lie to their masters.

"So am I a Night Ranger now?" Jeff asked.

Mark chuckled. "You didn't think it would be that easy did you? That was just a dweller. The spirits the power the Night Rangers are fully powered demons that have been enslaved since these morphers were first forged. Actually you will be fighting that spirit and every demon defeated by those that held it since. When you attempt to become a Night Ranger for the first time, you offer them a chance for freedom. And just so you know: they can see your soul and there is no way that they will be fooled into thinking you are harmless."

"So what do I do?" Jeff asked.

"Now you get to train with the rest of the Night Fighters until you are ready," Mark told him. "This is where things get painful."

* * *

Training had been hell. Jeff had believed that when it came to a fight all was fair. His trainers had proved to him that there were still things he was unwilling to do. And when they had identified those weaknesses, they had drilled him day after day until they beat the perceived weakness from his system. They broke him emotionally, physically and mentally, driving him to the brink and then stepping back to allow him to recover.

He didn't know how long he had suffered their brand of training - for it seemed that they were somehow able to slow the passage of time-, but it was only when he had started to fight back that he had realised that it had had a purpose. He had grown focussed and ruthless in his fighting style. He no longer pulled his punches after realising that nobody was going to go easy on him in return.

He continued to fight back and as he did his skills improved. His ability to use his weapons and his skills had grown and thanks to the constant reminders in the form of painful punishments, he had learned when to use them and when to rely on his hands and feet.

As his Night Saber rested against his foe's neck he waited for his opponent to signal surrender. When instead of accepting the offer as he was supposed to, the opponent tried to attack, Jeff put him down hard; Jeff had learned from an earlier experience that sometimes granting mercy could only lead to his own death. The rules of engagement the Night Fighters lived by served to keep them alive. With his new found ruthlessness, Jeff had proved himself ready to take the final challenge.

* * *

The demon Jeff finally faced was not what he had been expecting. Mark had warned him of a vicious beast desperate to break free of the Night Rangers, but the demon that powered the Blue Night Morpher had come to terms with its enslavement and had subdued the other spirits as well.

Still the battle had been brutal as the blue skinned demon had refused to hold back out of respect for tradition. Jeff had used his Night Saber and his armour to dominate the unfortunate demon, not stopping until the beast was kneeling at his feet. As he bound the creature he realised that it was more than just the power of the Blue Night Morpher: over time it had become an amalgamation of those that had previously held the powers. They had changed the demon and he in turn had preserved their knowledge.

"Spirits of the Night, fill me with your power!" Jeff bellowed as he had been instructed. He felt the surge of dark energy rush through him, but he refused to let it control him, fought it as it attempted to overwhelm him and then took control. "Blue Night Ranger, Activate!"

His morpher seemed to growl as it flashed with blue light and when the light faded, the Blue Night Ranger stood, ready for action.

End of Part.


	6. Ties the Bind Part 1 - Old Friends, New

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to the respective copyright owners. Large sections of this story were originally written by Ellen Brand and featured in her series Personality Conflicts. They are used with permission and I thank Ellen for allowing me to do this. Lillian, Jamie, Christina and Katarina are COE versions of Lillian O'Neil, Jamie Zedden, Christina Collins and Katarina Petronov from Personality Conflicts. The original names and their characters are the property of either Ellen Brand or Jennifer Bigley.

Ties the Bind Part 1 - Old Friends, New Friends

Paris, France

In a deserted warehouse outside the city two figures watched from a distance, as a third person walked into the open.

"Bulky, I'm bored," Skull complained from their hiding place behind some storage cans. "We've been watching this Ryan guy for hours. When are we going to go home?"

"Quiet Skull," Bulk hissed. "You know the boss said this guy is dangerous. Do you want to end up dead? "

Bulk and Skull had been in Spy Training ever since coming to France. To start with their training had been mostly physical training with a lot of paperwork. Both had benefited from the training. Skull had developed a sporting physique with good definition, built for speed and strength. Bulk on the other hand had lost most of his weight and replaced it was muscle. He now resembled a football player Angel Grove High would have killed for.

In addition both had been taught to defend themselves and Skull's Swordsmanship training had improved on the previous lessons his uncle had given him.

Both men had matured since being away from Angel Grove. They'd met new friends and colleagues and stopped fooling around. Both now bore a greater responsibility since they were able to carry guns.

Unfortunately patience was one of the things neither boy had learnt yet. Both were still eager to please Inspector Klauseau, so when he had given them their first assignment they had jumped at the chance. A number of disappearances had taken place over the last few months and two names had been constant in each report: Richard Ryan and William Kincaid.

"Hey look!" Skull said.

Looking over towards the man they had been sent to trail they noticed a tall black man standing in front of him. From their position Bulk and Skull could see the two men were trash talking and it looked as though Ryan was winning the war of words.

"Whoa!" Bulk exclaimed as he saw the larger man produce a cutlass and swipe at the youth known as Richard Ryan. "That's Kincaid."

"The other guy's got one too!" Skull added noting that Ryan had drawn a military sabre.

A brief battle followed, neither opponent afraid to use under handed tactics to win. After what seemed like hours, Ryan drove his sword into his opponent's stomach.

"He killed him," Bulk whispered.

Skull didn't reply. For some reason he felt compelled to watch what was happening. Ryan was standing over his opponent sword raised over his head.

"THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!" Ryan cried as he brought the sword down slicing through skin, muscle, blood vessels, bone, arteries, muscles and skin.

Bulk and Skull were speechless having just witnessed their first murder. Sure they had seen monsters in Angel Grove and had live with a winged monkey and living skeleton for a few months, but nothing prepared them for what they had just seen.

A strange mist seemed to float from the decapitated body and enter Ryan's body. The head and body disappeared into the smoke.

"We need to go Bulky," Skull said urgently. Something told him what was about to occur. "Run!"

Lightning struck the building as the left, shattering the windows and exploding light bulbs contained inside. A stray bolt hit the canisters that Bulk and Skull had been using for cover igniting the chemicals inside. As the canisters exploded Bulk threw his body in the way to protect his friend.

"Bulk?" Skull asked when the lightning had subsided and Ryan had left.

There was no answer from his larger friend. Pulling himself up, Skull checked to see if his friend was injured, but Bulk was not there. He looked around trying to find him before calling the authorities. Farkus Bulkmier, known to the world as Bulk was gone.

* * *

A plane over the Atlantic

It had taken time to sort out Bulk's affairs, to put his own in order and to serve out his notice period. And though events had conspired against him, it was his own grief that had prevented him from returning to Angel Grove sooner. In all honesty it was more a case of cowardice. Returning to Angel Grove meant facing those he had failed, namely Bulk's parents.

And now, Eugene Skullovitch was relaxing in a seat, eating his complimentary bag of peanuts, and flirting with the stewardesses. Amazingly enough, some of them were flirting back. He remembered a time when they would have shot him down immediately. He really had grown up.

Part of it, of course, was his appearance. In his khakis, yellow button-down shirt, and suspenders, he didn't look like the punk he had been for so many years. He was also far more relaxed than he had ever been in his police uniform or the suit he mentally referred to as "spy wear". Life as a detective had agreed with him immensely.

His thoughts turned back to Angel Grove, and like clockwork, he began to think about her, Kimberly Hart. He had fallen for her the first day he had seen her, when she had first come to Angel Grove from Seattle. Her beauty, brains, and strength had grown on him, and at some point, his hopeless crush had metamorphosed into real, true love. Unfortunately, he hadn't known anyway to get her attention except by being obnoxious. That had only made her dislike him more, and he had very soon lost any chance of gaining her affections when she had begun dating Tommy. After she had left for Florida and broken up with Tommy, he had sadly bid farewell to his feelings and waited for them to go away. They hadn't. He wasn't sure he was up to seeing her again, especially since she would probably be trying to patch things up with Tommy. Oh, well. It wasn't as if he was a stranger to the game of "love her from afar".

Sighing, he closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep. He wasn't sure what was going to happen when he got home, and he wanted to be ready for anything. Yawning, Skull slipped off to sleep, and into dreams of Kimberly.

* * *

When his plane arrived at Angel Grove International, Skull was not surprised that there was not a large crowd waiting for him. He hadn't been very popular. What did surprise him was that standing next to his parents was Detective Stone. He had not expected the older man to come meet the plane. ~Maybe he missed me.~ Skull chuckled to himself at how unlikely that was.

After hugging his parents, he turned and shook Detective Stone's hand.

"Good to see you again, Skullovitch." Skull smiled. The smile turned sad as he embraced the young man in a hug and whispered: "I'm sorry."

Skull returned the look. Not many people had been there to help Skull through the loss of his best friend. Lieutenant Stone had been one of those few. He had even flown out to France and spent several days clearing out Bulk's apartment.

"Sir, now that I am back, do you think the agency might have room in it for a kid who just got his detective's license?"

"I think we could work something out," Detective Stone nodded.

The small group made its way out of the airport and to Skull's parent's car. On his ride home, Skull could not stop looking out the window. He had missed Angel Grove immensely in his time away, and now he was drinking in its sights like a man fresh out of the desert drinks water. Noticing some scorch marks on a building, he guessed that the Zeo Rangers were still in business. That brought back a host of interesting memories, especially of the time that he and Bulk were trapped in the Machine Empire's dungeons, waiting to fight a monster.

He sighed. Hard to believe that he and Bulk could no longer engage in their zany adventures. They'd been friends since before kindergarten, sometimes the only two in their group. As kids, Jason and Trini had drawn all the attention, leaving Bulk and Skull in the background. As a result, they had resorted to the usual attention-getting devices that young children use, and had just never grown out of them. There had never been a reason to. Jason Scott and his friends had always been in the spotlight, and no one had ever had a chance of stealing it away. As time had passed, he had fallen so far into the routines and thought processes of being a punk that he had almost forgotten that he was ever anything else. Only when he played his music did he break out of his shell.

"No more," he whispered. "I'm not going back to that. I've got a chance to be somebody, and this time, I'm not going to waste it."

* * *

Jason had been working out in the gym when he met her. She had walked over, taking her time to study him and his movements before reaching a decision.

"Do you mind if I join you?" she asked, taking a moment to ensure she was warmed up.

"Sure," he replied, glad for the company. The Rangers, his best friends were all out doing their own things and he had been left with little to pass the time. "I don't remember seeing you around here before."

She shook her head, moving to copy his stance. "No, I just moved to town a few days ago. I start school on Monday."

Jason couldn't help looking at her. She was striking, but not conventionally pretty. Her features were far too strong for that, but they were certainly pleasant, especially the curve of her mouth. Her hair was a brilliant red, the colour of autumn leaves, and her eyes were a smoky hazel. Most startling of all was her height. When she stood next to him, he realised that she was almost an inch shorter than Kimberly, standing only about five foot one.

"I'm Jamie, Jamie Zedden. What's your name?"

"Jason Scott."

"Oh, I should've known it was you, nice to meet you." Noticing his curious look, she explained. "I made a few enquiries and discovered that you were one of the people who teach martial arts. Ernie said I needed to see you before he would allow me to use the gym for some private practice. So, what style are you?"

Jason grinned. Ernie had no such rule that he knew of, although it did make sense to ensure people knew what they were doing before allowing them to practice unsupervised. It seemed the portly bar tender was trying to make sure that Jamie made a few friends.

The time passed quicker than he had expected, but then of all the ways he had envisioned his morning, discussing martial arts with a beautiful redhead had not one of them. He wasn't going to complain, though. "I have a fourth degree black belt in American Style Karate," he informed her.

"American Style, huh? That's pretty interesting. I just earned my fourth in Shotokan."

Now Jason was impressed. "Shotokan? That's a tough style."

"Yeah, but I love it. Besides, where I come from, you have to be tough."

"Where are you from?" he asked. It wasn't just innocent curiosity that caused him to ask the question. He remembered Tommy telling him of the time when Scorpina had disguised herself to entrap Adam.

"Just moved up here from one of Los Angeles's 'finer neighbourhoods,'" she grimaced.

Jason and Jamie spent a long time after their workout was done, discussing everything they could think of. Jason was completely enthralled. Jamie was one of the most interesting people he had ever talked to and certainly the most interesting person he had met in a long time; he really enjoyed being with her.

They talked about other things for a while, but all too soon, the real world intruded, and she had to go home.

* * *

Angel Grove

High school life has a definite rhythm all its own. The days are carefully measured out into semesters, quarters, weeks and periods. Appearing with stunning regularity are the dances. You can almost set your watch by them. Angel Grove high was no different. Like everywhere else, they had a dance for every major occasion, and a few for no occasion at all.

Tonight was the Start of Year Ball and despite other demands on their time, such as a busy class schedule, defending the world and spending time with their families all the Rangers had been able to attend. One by one, the Rangers paired off, leaving Tommy and Kimberly standing by the punch bowl.

They watched as their friends circled the floor. Angela had claimed Zack almost the minute he had walked in the door, and his friends hadn't seen him for more than two minutes of the whole night. David and Kat were lost in each other, barely noticing anyone else. Rocky was dancing with Katarina, a girl he had been getting to know after another of his failed relationships although she wasn't a student at Angel Grove; the pair had dated briefly but decided it wouldn't work. Their relationship was now a strong friendship rather than a boyfriend/girlfriend deal. They were much happier. Adam and Tanya seemed attached at the hip, they hadn't been apart for the entire evening. Trey and Chelsea were enjoying themselves as well, dancing close together in the center of the floor.

Trini and Billy had finished their dance and made their way over to the table, Trini was approached by a nervous looking Richie and the two engaged in small talk for a while before she asked. "Well, Richie, do you want to dance?"

He chuckled and nodded after receiving a permissive nod from Billy. She smiled at how he was still the same shy young man she had almost dated. Nothing had come of it, though, and now the two were just good friends. They headed for the dance floor, leaving Tommy and Kimberly alone as Billy was drawn onto the floor again by Marge, each suddenly unable to meet the other's eyes. They had attended so many dances like this one, but all of them as boyfriend and girlfriend. Now that that phase of their lives was behind them, they were unsure how to react in this development. The uncomfortable situation was broken by a young man, who popped up out of nowhere.

"Miss Hart, how about a turn around the floor?" Skull asked.

"Sure. Let's go." The two of them headed out onto the floor, leaving Tommy alone with the punch.

"Looks like it's just you and I," he told the soda-and-fruit-juice concoction, pouring himself another cup.

"Can I have one?" a voice behind him asked. Tommy turned to see a girl in a knee-length black dress holding a paper cup out to him.

"Yeah, sure," he responded, filling the cup. As he handed it back to her, he took a better look. Her hair was sandy brown, and her eyes were an odd tawny gold colour. She was rather tall, as well, easily reaching the height of his chin.

"I don't think I've seen you around here before," he told her, extending his hand. "I'm Tommy Oliver. Are you new to the school?"

"Lillian O'Neil," she replied, transferring her cup into her left hand and shaking his. "No, I'm not new here. I've attended Angel Grove High for four years. You've just probably never noticed me. We're not in any of the same classes, and I don't get into the spotlight that much. I've seen you all the time, though."

"Oh. So, why aren't you dancing? Your date stand you up?"

She shook her head, amused. "No, I didn't have a date. I came with some of my friends."

"Where are they?"

"Out dancing, same place yours are, I'd expect."

He looked over at her. "You want to dance?"

"Hmm," she mused, regarding him for a moment. "Sure. I'd love to."

They walked out to the floor just as a slow song came on. Tommy swallowed hard. He hadn't been thinking of a slow dance when he'd asked her. Seeming to sense his discomfort, Lillian looked over at him, challenge and amusement visible in her odd eyes. Tommy smiled, his unease evaporating. It was just a dance, after all, even if it was a slow one. It wasn't like he'd asked her to marry him or anything.

Lillian slipped her arms around Tommy's neck, and he put his around her back. As the two swayed in time to the music, Tommy thought about how good it felt to have someone in his arms. He had missed Kim and Kat, but Lillian didn't feel like simply a substitute for either of them. For the first time since his breakups, Tommy felt interest in someone again. He already knew that Lillian was far different from either Kat or Kimberly. She seemed darker, older. Something about her drew him in a way neither of his two previous girlfriends had done. Suddenly she looked up at him and smiled mysteriously.

"I hear you're a bit of a Romeo, Tommy. You change girlfriends like most people change socks. Should I be worried?" she asked in her slightly husky voice.

"I don't think so," he replied. "When something interests me, I stick with it for a good long time."

She raised an eyebrow. "Until you get bored with it?"

"Sure. But I don't get bored very easily. I like mysteries and puzzles, and there's almost always something new for me to figure out." At the sight of her one-sided smile, a realization hit Tommy square between the eyes. They were flirting! He hadn't flirted with a woman since the first days of his relationship with Kimberly.

"Well, then, I'll attempt to keep things mysterious. Do you like to hike?"

"I love it. You do a lot of hiking?"

"Yes. I really love photography, especially nature shots. I'm very handy with a camera."

Just then, the DJ announced the final song of the night, to Tommy's shock. How long had they been dancing, anyway? After the last dance was finished, Tommy and Lillian said their goodbyes and headed back to their respective groups of friends. Both were greeted by knowing grins and an army of questions.

"Guys, it was just a couple dances," Tommy told his friends. "That's all. Come on, let's go. I'll tell you all about her on the way home."

* * *

"Lil, that was Tommy Oliver, the handsomest boy in our entire school! He's cute, he's nice, he's smart, he's currently available, and he spent the entire night dancing with you!" Randi gushed, tossing her short red hair. Lillian shook her head, amused at her friend's bubbliness.

"Randi, we're seniors in high school. Next year, we'll all be going our separate ways, off to different colleges. I'm not in the market for a great romance, and I doubt he is either." Still, Lillian had to admit that Tommy had a definite effect on her. ~He is cute,~ she thought to herself. When they'd been dancing, she'd been acutely aware of what martial arts had done to and for his body. ~Hard biceps, flat stomach, nice chest, defined back, and a very tight butt.~ Mentally she smacked herself in the head. ~Stop thinking about it! You'll never get to sleep tonight if you keep this up!~

"He's so dreamy," Randi went on, unaware of the direction of her friend's thoughts. The two were currently walking down the street that led from the school to their homes. Streetlights gave the whole area a comforting glow, and like most Angel Grove girls, they knew a great deal of self-defence. Lillian also had her black belt in Tiger Kung Fu, so they felt fairly safe walking home by themselves.

"Randi, come on. He just broke up with Kimberly Hart. He's probably not interested in a relationship right now, and if he is, he's on the rebound. Who wants that?"

"You know what, Lillian? You are too serious and cynical for your own good. If Prince Charming rode up on a white charger to save you from the dragon, you'd ask to see some ID."

Lillian chuckled. "Of course I would. I'd have already killed the dragon."

"Oh, you!" Randi shoved her friend playfully.

* * *

The sun beat down on downtown Angel Grove, despite the fact that summer was almost over. Temperatures were in the mid-60's, and the streets of the shopping district were clogged with people. The festive atmosphere of that Saturday morning was infectious, and Jason felt good to be alive. Part of it had to be attributed to being a Ranger once more. The Power had an invigorating effect.

He had continued to meet with Jamie and the two had become good friends. Jamie had also formed a friendship with Emily, Jason's girlfriend. Today Jamie had 'borrowed' him for the day as she wanted to go antique shopping, something he had never before endured. Emily was not the type to take him shopping and for that he was grateful. Somehow he couldn't imagine himself doing this on a regular basis for any woman. Jamie was looking for antique weapons, however, which was something Jason had always been interested in. Besides, her excitement made everything worthwhile.

Jason watched as Jamie looked over the man's collection of antique knives, swords, and other weapons.

A flash of light on steel drew her eye. Crossing to the case, Jamie saw a beautiful, strangely crafted sword lying on the velvet inside. "Could I take a look at this one?" she asked.

"Ah," Mr Hill commented in his Maine drawl, slowly coming over to the case. "A good choice. No one really knows where this sword came from. I inherited it from my grandfather, but how he came by it, I never found out. He never wanted to discuss it any. I've had it examined by every expert in the area, but not one of them can tell me where this sword is from."

Jamie listened and watched impatiently as the old man lifted the sword from its case and handed it to her. When she took it, she felt a slight shock, as if the blade had a small static charge, then nothing. Taking it in one hand, she tested the heft, raising her eyebrows at its lightweight. "Steel?" she asked, swinging it.

Mr Hill shook his head. "Nope. They don't know what it is. It seems to be plumb old, but just how old, no one can say."

She examined it closely. "You're right, it's very odd. Look, the blade is shaped like an English broadsword, but there's no blooding channel, and it has these funny runes etched on the blade. I'd almost say they were Norse, but the Norse never made swords like this. The pommel stone's like nothing I've ever seen. It could be milk quartz, or a moonstone, but it's huge, almost the size of a quarter." She suddenly came to a decision. She had to have that sword. "How much?"

Mr Hill looked at the girl in front of him for a long moment. A sword like that usually cost upwards of a thousand dollars, but the girl and the sword seemed made for each other. "Well, I like you. And that sword doesn't have a past, and doesn't have no identifying marks, so it's almost worthless to a collector. I think it's time to unload the thing. Twenty dollars and it's yours."

Jamie nearly fell over. "Twenty dollars? Sir, are you sure?"

"Course I'm sure," Hill snapped. "Twenty dollars, take it or leave it."

"I'll take it!" Jamie handed the man a twenty-dollar bill, and he put it into the cash register.

"Oops, almost forgot." Hill cackled. Reaching behind the counter, he drew out a scabbard made of something dark and two small rings, each with a small coloured gem. "These were given to me at the same time as the sword. The scabbard is part of the purchase price. The rings, nothing valuable, perhaps a party favour. You'll want to keep the sword sheathed in town, of course. And before you ask, no, that scabbard ain't leather. Nobody knows what it is, either."

"Thank you very much, sir," Jamie replied wholeheartedly, slipping the sword into its scabbard and going out into the sun, placing the rings in her pocket as she did so. Jason rose to go, and Hill suddenly put a hand on his shoulder.

"Young man, is she your girlfriend?" the old man asked, seriously.

"No sir, just a friend," Jason responded, wondering what this was about.

"You keep an eye on her. There's something funny about that blade. It almost seems like it was made for her. I don't reckon there's anything dangerous about it- I wouldn't have sold it to her if I did, but..." He trailed off, but Jason caught his meaning.

"I'll keep my eyes open, sir." He then followed Jamie out into the sunshine.

**To be continued **


	7. Ties the Bind Part 2 - Dark Heritage

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to the respective copyright owners. Large sections of this story were originally written by Ellen Brand and featured in her series Personality Conflicts. They are used with permission and I thank Ellen for allowing me to do this. Lillian, Jamie, Christina and Katarina are COE versions of Lillian O'Neil, Jamie Zedden, Christina Collins and Katarina Petronov from Personality Conflicts. The original names and their characters are the property of either Ellen Brand or Jennifer Bigley.

Ties the Bind Part 2 - Dark Heritage

In the park, Jamie stopped to unsheathe her new sword and try a few practice moves. Sitting under a tree, Jason watched her, smiling. She looked completely natural with it, despite its odd manufacture. Like Mr Hill, Jason didn't feel that there was anything directly malevolent about the sword, but something very strange was happening, all the same.

The arrival of a flash of gold fire broke both teens' concentration. Goldar appeared in the middle of the park, grinning evilly at the two of them. Jason immediately scrambled to his feet, cursing his poor reactions; as a Ranger he should have been alert for such an occurrence. Meanwhile, Jamie had stepped in between Goldar and Jason, sword held at the ready. Jason almost allowed himself to smirk at the idea that he was the super hero and she was protecting him.

"Relax, Jason, I'm not here for you," Goldar growled as he noticed the Red Ranger.

"If you're after Jamie, you tin-plated baboon, you can just forget it," Jason growled back. "You'll have to go through me to get to her. And we both know you didn't do so well against me last time we met."

"Your little girlfriend here is quite safe, for the time being. All I want is the sword. Hand it over, and I'm out of your hair."

Jamie raised an eyebrow. "You want my sword, the one I just paid twenty dollars for, I don't think so."

"Give it to me, human. You have no use for it, no clue about its true power and worth. It's useless to you."

She shrugged. "It's got an edge, so it can cut. How useless can it be? Tell you what. You want this sword? You come fight me for it. The winner takes the sword."

"Are you crazy?!" Jason cried. "Get away from here, now!"

He should have morphed, but as he looked at her he had the feeling that he was supposed to stand back and let things take their natural course.

Jamie barely glanced at him. "What do you say, Goldilocks? You against me, winner takes the sword, and no matter what, nothing happens to Jason."

Goldar thought for a moment, and then nodded. "It shall be done."

The two combatants immediately took "guard" stances. Then, with a ringing down slice, Goldar attacked. Jamie blocked him, and the fight was on. Immediately, it was apparent that the two warriors were masters of their art. Their cuts, thrusts, and parries, formed a glittering web of razored steel that glinted in the sun. Goldar was far stronger than the human girl, but Jamie had grace and speed on her side. They were evenly matched.

Then Goldar tripped over a root, and Jamie stepped away to let him rise, never taking her eyes off him. Instead of standing, however, the monster fired two energy bolts from his eyes. Jamie instinctively lifted her sword to block them, but instead, the blade absorbed them and fired them back as a bolt of multicoloured energy, which Goldar barely managed to dodge. Taking advantage of Jamie's shock, the flying monkey leaped into the air and knocked the sword from her hands with his own.

"You put up quite a fight, human. I'll do you the honour of making your end swift," he cackled, shooting another larger golden energy beam at her. Jamie crossed her arms in front of her face in a futile attempt to block the attack, and absorbed the shot. An indistinct aura formed around her - it could have been any colour but neither Jason nor Goldar could say for sure since a barrier of milky, grey mist covered it - as she stared at her hands in astonishment. Then she looked up at Goldar and smiled. Suddenly, a large bolt of energy left her hands and struck him directly in the chest, knocking him back several feet. With a low groan, the monster disappeared, leaving the two teens alone in the park.

"Well, that was fun," Jamie grinned, turning towards Jason as her aura flickered out. "What was all that about?"

"I think that sword gave you special powers," Jason managed. "God, you must have a death wish or something. That guy could have killed you!"

She shrugged. "I knew I could take him. I think the sword told me."

Looking down at her, Jason sighed. He was going to have to tell Zordon about this. "Get that sword and come back here, okay? There's someone I think we should talk to about this."

She did as he asked. "Who? Where are we going?"

He smiled. "You'll see." When she came within an arm's length, he reached out and grabbed her, simultaneously teleporting them both to the Power Chamber.

"Jason, is something the matter?" Zordon asked as the two teens materialized.

"You could say that, Zordon," Jason replied. Jamie, meanwhile, was staring around the Power Chamber with awe. "Goldar attacked us in the park. He wanted Jamie's sword. She fought him for it, beat him, and then absorbed an energy bolt he threw at her. She did it, not the sword."

"Hmm." Jason couldn't be sure but Zordon seemed to hesitate and for a moment he thought his mentor was about to send them away. "Alpha, please run a scan on the sword," Zordon requested, already knowing where the sword had come from. ~The odds of this happening are incalculable.~.

"May I see it?" Alpha asked Jamie timidly. Any girl who could take on Goldar without Ranger powers was not someone he wanted mad at him.

"Friends of yours?" she asked Jason dryly.

"You can trust them."

Reluctantly, she relinquished the sword to Alpha 5. "I want that back in one piece!" she called after the retreating android. "So where are we, and who are they?" she asked, turning back to Jason.

"Jamie Zedden, meet Zordon of Eltare, inter-dimensional being and mentor to the Power Rangers."

"Power Rangers? You're a-"

He nodded. "Yes, the red one. I recently got my powers back, but I'm not on active duty... it's a long story."

"Oh. Well maybe that's a story we can save for another time."

"Yeah," he smiled. "Maybe later."

"Jamie Zedden?" Zordon interrupted them; frowning as his fears were confirmed. "Aged seventeen, daughter of Lawrence Zedden?"

"Yeah," she responded, puzzled. "My dad's dead, though. Do you know me?"

Zordon sighed. "It would be more appropriate to say that I know of you. I now have my suspicions as to what occurred in the park, although I will have to wait until Alpha finishes his analysis of the sword to be sure."

Jamie looked at Jason, who shrugged. He had no idea what Zordon was talking about.

"Ai yi yi! Analysis completed, Zordon! The sword is of alien manufacture, the last blade manufactured at the bequest of Cathabad and stolen over three hundred millennia ago! It was last seen in the possession of -"

"-That's enough Alpha!" Zordon snapped suddenly. His voice was uncharacteristically harsh.

~Why me?~ he wondered as he stared at Jamie speculatively. Which would be better, to lie or tell the truth? Either would have potentially explosive consequences in the future. In the end he just sighed and said heavily: "Then it is true."

"What is true? What's going on here?" Jamie asked.

"It is a long story. Long ago it was discovered that some races while capable of wielding the powers of a Power Ranger, were unsuited for the demands such a role placed on the individual. A wizard named Ralthor took pity upon one such group: the Zarakin, a race that after being driven from their homes numerous times, had settled upon the world of Danata. And while unable to go against the Council's wishes with regards to a Ranger team, since Danata was deemed too primitive to allow such a team, he was able to provide them with the means to defend themselves in the form of the elemental weapons. Ralthor fashioned six blades representing the major elemental forces of Danata: fire, water, earth, air, heart and lightning. He shaped the magically endowed blades into swords and gave the Zarakin knowledge of the techniques needed to make similar weapons that while not magical, were stronger than those of the invaders.

Over the years that followed, the Zarakin came to realise that to wield the Elemental Blades effectively they needed more than just the strength to lift their weapons, they needed a technique that would allow them to combine their physical and magical attacks. Surprisingly the answer came not from their warriors, but rather their bards. Their entertainers had long used a dance to mimic the ways of their warriors and to mock those they deemed too boastful. The dance was taken and adapted to the bearers' needs, becoming an art form in and of itself.

To this day the House of Swords, as they became known, functions as an organization of bodyguards to the king. Although the loss of the swords weakened their ability to fight against all threats. Still, Zarakin society grew up around stories of these blades and soon developed others. Eventually the

Grid Masters approached Danata again and offered an exchange of services. In return for guaranteed protection, the Zarakin would provide some of those warriors trained in the use of their blades. They have proven worthy allies ever since, undertaking tasks such as scouting and guarding supplies."

"That's some story," Jamie commented.

"Indeed, but there is more. Apart from being able to control the element for which they were named, each of the swords had other, hidden powers, known to enhance a skill of the wielders. It was said that some could use them to call forth legendary armour although that was never proven. Many of the Elemental Blades were destroyed centuries ago, but the blade you hold while damaged was re-forged using the remains of the other swords. It was once known as the Sword of Lightning, now I suspect it has some of the abilities of the other blades. Over time, the blade has no doubt inherited a connection to the Morphin Grid and gave you ability to absorb, channel and release energy, a feat that is already a trait inherent in the Zarakin physiology but difficult to reproduce consciously."

"So, I have an alien blade that gave me special powers. Do you think they'll want it back?" Jamie asked shyly.

Zordon hesitated. The risks of a child holding such a blade were great, especially given her heritage. There was a chance she could become corrupted by the power. Oh it was not without risks to hold the sword. As sentient as it had become, it naturally sought to twist the mind of its avatar to serve its own purposes. Although forged for good, it was after all a sword, and what did a sword need more than a hand to wield it in battle and to draw blood from those that opposed it. Luckily its influence was limited.

Then there was the matter of the girl's parentage. If her father ever discovered her existence there was little doubt that he would claim her. It wouldn't even take a spectacular spell to bend her to his will; so long as a bond existed, there were spells that would guarantee obedience and the bond between parent and child was so strong that such a spell could never be broken.

If asked, he knew the people of Danata would reply with an unmistakable 'yes' that the blade should be returned to them. But did he even have the right now that the blade had found its way into Jamie's hands and chosen her as its avatar? The answer was no. He just hoped that with the sword in her possession she might be more inclined to consider her path rather than allowing herself to be led blindly. Having met Jamie though he doubted she would be led anywhere against her will.

"Jamie, the original owners of the blade are long gone and while the Zarakin can no doubt remember the weapons, they no longer rely on them; another wizard later created the Gem Swords for such a purpose. This sword has bonded to you and nobody can take it from you. Only death alone can break the bond between you and this blade.

Given that Goldar has already attempted to take the sword from you, I would like it if you considered an alliance with us. While you are not a Ranger and would be condemned as an enemy by the Galactic Council, the Zarakin have long been considered valued allies. It is in that tradition I extend the hand of friendship."

How he wished that it could have been different and that Jamie could have been accepted as an ally by the Council and that eventually he could grant her the title of Ranger. But that was not to be. Her heritage and the potential harm she could cause would always make her an outsider.

"I'll do it."

"Welcome to the team, Jamie Zedden," Zordon said quietly. "The sword is now an extension of your body, its form adaptive to your needs. Given time and practice you will find that using it will become second nature."

Jason finally asked the questions that had been bothering him for a while. "Zordon, why did you refer to Jamie as a Zarakin, and if the sword's powers are alien in nature, what's to prevent what happened to me from happening to Jamie?"

"Number one, Jason, the creators of the sword have had a great deal of interaction with humans of the years. They know how to make safe weapons. Zarakin for that matter are very close to humans, physiologically speaking. They do not have the chemical differences that Triforians have, so the powers will be far more compatible with Jamie than the Gold Ranger powers were with you. Number two; the sword's powers are not directly tied to Jamie's life force. And number three, Jamie is not completely human. That is why I referred to her as a Zarakin."

"WHAT!" the two teens asked in unison.

"Just what I said. Jamie, your mother is completely human. Your father, on the other hand, is not. This is why you have the innate ability to absorb energy, for like Zarakin, your father's race, you too have this capability. You obviously inherited it from your father; the sword merely developed that ability."

Jamie shook her head, trying to absorb this. "What was he doing on Earth?"

Zordon sighed. "It is a long and somewhat ugly story. You must understand that the beings that now refer to themselves as the

Masters of the Morphin Grid or Grid Masters are not the same order as the

Morphin Masters that came before them. They are the one of many groups that

claim to have descended from the Morphin Masters of old, and three hundred millennia ago they had only just come to terms with the greatest defeat in their history. At the time their ability to totally defeat an enemy was beyond them.

One of the wiser villains, sensing their weakness decided to add an additional blow by destroying the Council's major allies, the Zarakin. It was during that battle that the wizard in question introduced his newest protégé: Zedd, heir of the infamous Xett dynasty."

"Zedd!" Jason cried. "Billy told me Zedd had a natural mother and father!"

"Lord Zedd is not a simple creature by any means. Originally he was of the many demonic creatures spawned by the demon Xett. Although I do not know the exact story, one child was supposed to emerge from the Dark Zones each century to attempt to vanquish the light. Success meant that they would rule for eternity, failure meant a return to the Dark Zones and a long sleep to renew their power. Zedd found a way around the need to return, favouring the use of his Centennial Recharge machine.

Before the attack on Danata, Zedd was believed to have been vanquished. Instead he had been severely injured beyond his ability to heal and had been forced to wear a silver exoskeleton, which he has used ever since. However Zedd was infinitely weakened by his injuries and needed a way to regain his strength."

"So what did he do?" Jason asked.

"If he had returned to the Dark Zones he would no doubt have been able to heal himself. Instead he chose a more insidious method. Many years before the attack on Danata, a Zarakin child was born to the King and Queen of Danata. He was the pride and joy of the royal court, a baby of uncommon handsomeness and intelligence. He had a slight temper, but that trait has bred true throughout seven hundred generations of rulers, and extends to most of the planet as well. There was little chance that he would escape it.

The prince grew to become one of the most agile warriors Danata had ever seen. Graduating first in his class from the House of Swords, he was given the Sword of Fire, possession of which could only be revoked by his death or willing denouncement of the blade in favour of another. As he grew, it was thought that he would be one of the finest kings that the Zarakin Sector had ever known.

Then something happened, and to this day, no one knows what. Shortly before the attack the prince and his friend vanished for two days. When he returned, he was different in some way, but only those with the ability to see beyond the physical world, would have realised how different. During the first attack the truth was revealed: the prince was gone, his soul replaced by Zedd's evil essence. He physically transformed into Lord Zedd.

Many believe the prince was seduced by the dark powers and willingly gave up his body to Zedd. Until her death, his mother believed that it had taken him against his will; much like Rita did with Tommy. Regardless, since Zedd was no longer a pure demon he was severely weakened. He was an evil sorcerer, albeit one of great power, drawing on the darkest sectors of the Morphin Grid and given his weaker state, needed to work his way back through the ranks of evil once more."

"I thought we used the Grid," Jason frowned.

"You did and some of you still do. I am afraid that over your time as Rangers, I have failed to teach you what the Morphin Grid is and to correct some of the theories Billy has formed. The true Morphin Grid is nothing more or less than the network of energy flows that exist throughout this universe. How it was formed we cannot be sure, we cannot even say for certain that it does exist, but all evidence points us in that direction. The Morphin Grid in its purest form does not carry a single type of energy. However, it does carry the forces you recognise as magic and psychic energy inherent to our universe.

In addition, the Morphin Grid links this universe to an even great source of extra-universal energy that is both magical and psychic in nature. It is here that the pools of magic that you Rangers draw upon can be found. Long ago it was believed that these pools were a singular source and were called the Morphin Grid. The energy contained in these pools permeates the universe, where it is then tuned and separated to the polar extremes of being. Some power answers to the dark pole, some to the light, and power of one type will corrupt or dilute a power of the other. The Ranger powers are of the light side of the Grid, while Zedd draws from its darkest regions.

As a demon Zedd would have drawn directly from the energy pools without the need to use the Morphin Grid. Since he has used a Zarakin as a physical medium, he must instead rely on a type of sorcery to maintain his power. Other villains you have met are in a similar situation, having either possessed a mortal form or offered themselves to a demon in return for power. That is also why there seems to be no rhyme or reason in the shapes that many of the villains you face. The sorcerers among them have taken shapes closer to those of the demons they seek to channel, appearances that no true creature would ever wear. The demons that have possessed mortal forms have done their best to adapt their unwilling host to resemble their original bodies. That is why Master Vile looks so different from Rita."

"I always just thought she took after her mother," Jason replied.

"In a sense, she does. Rita is a witch. Her mother was a sorceress who drew her power from the demon named Vile. When she summoned him into this realm, Master Vile as he became known took over the body of a Sradin male. He reverted to that form just long enough for his wife to conceive Rita. Since Master Vile was not in his demonic form at the time, Rita appears human. As a witch she draws her power from objects into which magic has been infused. She does not have an alternate form. However, for a brief time she was a sorceress, using incantations and sacrifices to gain power from the Hell God Lokar.

Rito is Master Vile's younger child. He was conceived while Master Vile was in his demon form. That is why he looks the way he does.

I am a mage, drawing my power from a natural connection with the Morphin Grid. Rather than spells or incantations, I can use mental disciplines to summon and direct the power. There are many other classifications, but it would take too long to go into them now, and I have already strayed from my story.

The reborn Lord Zedd continued his career of evil for millennia, occasionally returning to Danata to ensure their armies remained weakened; during his initial strike he killed the wielders of the other Elemental Blades and had them destroyed before tossing their remains into space. On another of these expeditions, his Zarakin form sired a child, a boy named Zarador. Zarador is now the king of Danata, and one of my closest friends. He, along with the Council of Elders, managed to trap Lord Zedd upon his return to the planet.

Not having the heart to kill him out of concern that their prince had been taken from them unwillingly, they found a way to force him into a human form and isolate him from his more demonic powers, restoring some but not all of the prince they had loved. But they were unable to find a way to remove the demon's influence, nor decide if the being they were talking to was their prince or Zedd. Fearing he would find a way to regain his power or call for assistance, they sent him to a planet where he would fit in, but never be able to rise to power or send for help. They sent him to Earth, using a spell to ensure that his evil tendencies were curtailed. This was eighty years ago. In that time he had a number of relationships, the last one starting almost twenty years ago."

"Oh, no," Jamie said softly, closing her eyes. She had a feeling that she knew what Zordon was leading up to.

"On Earth, it seemed that the Zarakin prince resurfaced. He took the name Lawrence Zedden, created a past for himself, and fell in love with Leslie Corren. The two married and had a daughter, one whom they named Jamie."

Jamie smiled sickly. "Actually, they named her Jamaica, which she both hates and has been trying to live down ever since."

"Jamaica?" Jason raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, Mom was under pain medication! Give her a break."

"So you're Lord Zedd's daughter," Jason marvelled, picking up where Zordon's story left off.

She shrugged. "I guess so. For twelve years, Mom and I thought he died. I mean, they pulled a body from the river that had his ID and the right dental work, so we always thought that he was gone."

"Jamie, I am unclear on the details of Lord Zedd's return to power, but I believe that the body dragged from the river was your father's mortal body. I believe the minions sent by his subordinates to retrieve him found a way to partially restore his original body. Despite that, the fact remains that Zedd is alive and is your father, that your mother retained her maiden name and chose for you to use that name, suggests that Zedd had predicted such an event would occur."

"Great. Just great."

Jason put an arm around her shoulders. "Hey, I don't care if you are Zedd's daughter. I don't know how Tommy's going to take it, though."

"Why would he have a problem with it?"

"It's a long story."

"Jamie," Zordon broke in, "there is something else that you must know. If Zedd truly reverted to his demon self, any feelings he held for you and your mother would have been twisted into a possessiveness few have seen. According to Zarakin law, your parents are still married and in Zedd's eyes, that could mean you and your mother, belong to him. You are in his mind his property. This also means that Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa are not really married, which may bode ill for you. Your mother is technically Zedd's queen and you his heir. With this revelation, Rita's standing has been pushed significantly downwards. And Rita Repulsa does not like to be replaced."

Jamie shivered at the thought of the Tengas attacking her mother. "I'm going to have to tell Mom all about this, Zordon. She has to know."

"I agree. I think the two of you should teleport back to Jamie's house and explain things to her."

"What am I going to do with this?" Jamie asked, raising her sword. "I feel like I need it with me, but how can I carry it all the time?"

"That is a natural feeling for those who carry the Elemental Swords. You can store it in a pocket in hyper space. Simply concentrate on putting it into a pocket." Jamie did so, and was surprised to see the sword disappear. "To retrieve it, simply imagine it in your hand." She concentrated again, and the blade appeared once more.

"Cool. And this pocket will go wherever I do?"

"Yes."

"Neat." She put the sword away again. "Any other interesting abilities I have?"

"Lord Zedd could tell you more about them than I."

As he watched the two youths, Zordon mused on the ironies of the situation. He briefly considered the implications of Zedd becoming interested in his earlier relationships. Zordon didn't know if there were any children from those affairs, but if there were then any descendants would be in almost as much danger as Jamie. These two obviously destined to be together, but set up to be practically mortal enemies. She was the daughter of the evilest villain in the known galaxy, and he was the epitome of what made a Ranger. Who would think that they would fall in love, and so soon after their first meeting? Sometimes, life just wasn't fair and for the first time ever Zordon wished that he didn't have his gift of prophecy. He could already see how this would develop and it saddened him greatly. Though both walked in the light, her heritage and abilities marked her as a creature of the shadows and sooner or later she would slip into a darker world where Jason could not hope to follow.

* * *

Jamie teleported into the hall of her house. Jason had agreed to wait in the Youth Center until she was done, sensing that this was something mother and daughter had to discuss alone. "Mom?" she called.

"In the kitchen, honey. Did you have a nice day? Buy anything deadly?"

"You could say that," Jamie grinned, entering the kitchen and leaning on a counter. Leslie looked up at her daughter and smiled.

"You look like you have something on your mind. Care to talk about it?"

Jamie studied her mother intently. It was obvious where Jamie got her looks. Leslie had the same red hair and short, slim build as her daughter, with a similar face and strong features. Only their eyes were different, Jamie's a smoky hazel; Leslie's a cool emerald green. Jamie had also inherited her toughness of spirit from her mother. Jamie had never run across something too unpleasant for her mother to handle, but she still hesitated to drop this particular bomb.

"Mom, the day you found out Dad was dead. You never really talked about it. You just said that the police called and told you his body was found in the river. What happened that day? Why were we living at Grandma's after that?"

Leslie sighed. She didn't really want to remember the events of that afternoon, but Jamie was certainly old enough to deserve the truth, and she wouldn't ask if it weren't important.

"I was doing something or other in the kitchen and you were watching "Sesame Street" in the living room. There was a knock at the door, and I opened it to see two men outside. They looked strange, uncomfortable, like they didn't belong there and they knew it. They said they were friends of your father and wanted to talk to me inside. I didn't like the looks of them, so I said no. They insisted, so I shut the door in their faces and headed back towards the kitchen. That was when the door blew in."

Jamie jumped. The door blew in? None of this was part of her memories of that time. She couldn't remember much from before she was five. Still, she had never imagined that her mother's story was so violent.

"Larry had been afraid that something like this would happen, although he'd never told me why, and he'd trained me in what to do. I picked you up, headed for the car, and peeled out of there. The next thing I knew, they were chasing us. I was never so glad for those driving courses he made me take. I threw everything I had into the chase, and I lost them.

I couldn't go home, of course, so I took you to Grandma's. Later, I learned that our house had been set on fire. Very little had survived. For a while, the police even thought that we had died in the fire. Once they realised that we were alive, they called Grandma's to tell me about Larry. It was almost too much. If it hadn't been for you, I would have given up. To this day, I don't know who those men were or what they wanted. Why are you bringing this up now?"

Jamie sighed and took her mother's hands in her own. "Mom, I have something I need to tell you."

* * *

In the Lunar Palace, Lord Zedd was listening to Goldar's snivelling explanation with mounting impatience. He was about ready to blow a hole in the ceiling when something Goldar said caught his attention. "A girl, you say," Zedd asked, leaning forward. "Red hair, about 17?"

"Yes, my lord."

"And she was able to call on the sword's powers?"

"Yes, Lord Zedd."

"Hmm," Zedd mused. Common sense told him it was impossible, but nevertheless, his heart began to pound. "She must have been a half-breed Zarakin. Let me see this girl!" Zedd's eyebeams shot down towards Earth, magically allowing him to see what he wanted. As he did so, a duplicate of the image formed in front of his henchmen. "Goldar, is this the girl?"

"Yes, my lord." The image was of Jamie talking with her mother in the kitchen. Zedd's breath caught in what passed for his throat. He couldn't recognize the girl; too many years had passed. The woman, however, was as familiar as his own name. He dreamed about her every night.

"Leslie," he whispered.

"Leslie?" Rita asked.

Zedd whirled on her. "That's my wife!" Rita paled. "She's alive!"

"What- what does that mean for us?" Rita managed.

"I don't know. I'll have to think about this." Confused, Zedd clutched at his head as if he were debating with himself what should be done next. "Goldar," he said finally. "Take a squad of Tengas and get them, I don't care how. Bring me Leslie and my daughter. Burn their home and dispose of any witnesses. I will decide what to do when they are here. Now go!"

With a deep bow, Goldar disappeared, as Rita left, muttering to herself. With a loud sigh Zedd walked out onto the Moon's surface and headed in the direction of his former palace. He needed a place suitable for his children; Leslie would make an excellent ambassador when he conquered the planet. He was already planning how to make them a part of his evil dynasty.

* * *

It had taken a fair amount of arguing, not to mention an exploded toaster, but Jamie had finally convinced her mother of the truth of her story. Now Leslie was trying to deal with the realization that her daughter was a super hero, her husband, whom she had presumed dead, was a space alien, and his current wife was probably hiring an avian hit squad to attack them even now. She was taking it rather well.

"So, what are the vulnerable areas on a Tenga?" Leslie asked calmly. Jamie blinked for a second, then grinned. Very little fazed her mother for long.

"Eyes, throat, beak, the usual," Jamie replied, miming a knee to a sensitive area. Leslie winced.

"So these are male birds?" Jamie just shrugged. Suddenly, the room was filled with a hail of feathers.

"Looks like you'll get a chance to find out!" Jamie called, dropping into a fighting position as Goldar and the Tengas materialized. Both sides prepared for a fight.

"NOT IN THE HOUSE!" Leslie bellowed, startling all the combatants into silence. "We can just take this outside," she informed them all. "You have no idea how long it took me to clean the floor this morning."

Goldar and the Tengas looked at each other sheepishly then walked out the back door. Jamie and Leslie looked at each other for a moment, and then Jamie teleported them both to the Power Chamber. They materialized in the middle of the room, holding on to each other.

"Well, I suppose I'm going to have to get used to that," Leslie sighed, taking in her surroundings. "So this is that Power Chamber you were telling me about?"

"It is indeed," Zordon boomed. "Welcome, Mrs Zedden. I am Zordon, mentor to the Power Rangers. May I congratulate you on a rather ingenious way of escaping the Tengas? However did you think of that?"

Leslie shrugged. "Even things like those had to have mothers. Some behaviours are just universal."

"Where are Goldar and the Tengas now, Zordon?" Jamie asked.

"They have apparently returned to the Moon and are relating their failure to Rita as we speak. I doubt that they will show up for a while, but in case they do, Mrs Zedden, I would like you to have this communicator. Jamie, I have made one for you, as well." Leslie received a grey and white wristband, while Jamie's was simply grey. "Should you be attacked, simply touch the large button. It will teleport you here instantly."

"Thank you," Leslie replied, buckling the band onto her wrist. "I had better go home. I had a cake in the oven that will probably need my attention soon." With that, she teleported out.

"I'd better head to the Youth Center myself. I told Jason I'd meet him there, and I think it's time the other Rangers knew about me. I'll see you later." She also teleported out, in a grey rush. Zordon smiled to himself. It was good to see that the old allies were still willing to stand by the Rangers.

* * *

"So you're Zedd's daughter?" Kat asked in astonishment. Jamie nodded. Jason had contacted all the Rangers and asked them to meet in the park. Once everybody arrived, he and Jamie had taken turns telling the story of her origin, powers, and battle with the Tengas earlier. Now everyone was watching Tommy nervously, wondering how he would react to this particular bit of news.

"Hey, that's cool with me," he replied seriously. "I try to judge people by their actions, not their parentage. Besides, in a way, I'm glad Zedd's your dad."

"Why?" Jamie asked.

Tommy grinned. "Because that means he's not mine." Everyone laughed, and the conversation turned to other things. While everyone was talking and horsing around, Jamie and Tommy slipped off to one side.

"How do you feel about being Zedd's daughter?" he asked her, no more humour in his tone.

"I don't really know. I mean, I'm sort of glad that my dad's alive because I still love him and I always will. On the other hand, who wants to find out that their dad's a slime ball? Still, I don't really feel the way one of you might. I never really knew him as a villain. It's going to take me awhile to get the idea absorbed. Then we'll talk about it."

He sighed. "You know, I meant what I just said out there. I've always known I was adopted, and after I found out that there seem to be some- oddities about me and David, like the fact that we're danger-prone, and some minor discrepancies on scans, I've been worried that maybe my parents were, if not Zedd and someone else, at least someone evil. Knowing I'm not Zedd's kid is a bit of a load off my mind."

"How do you know you're not?" she grinned up at him. His eyes were fascinating, dark and extremely perceptive. If only they weren't so sad.

"Oh, just a hunch," he grinned back. "Maybe it's the fact that I'm not a short redhead."

Laughing, she dragged him back towards the group. Jamie had a feeling that she and Tommy were going to be good friends. She didn't know that other forces had a very different view of how her relationship with Tommy would evolve.

* * *

On the Moon, Finster had been sent to find Zedd. He eventually tracked him down to the castle and having found it intact, was trying to make at least part of it liveable again. Finster realised suddenly that Zedd was back in his Zarakin body, a tall man with sandy hair and hazel eyes. The man stared wistfully out the big bay window in what had been the throne room, looking at the earth.

"I miss her, Finster," Zedd said suddenly, startling the little gnome. He had not realised that the man knew he was there.

"Rita?" replied Finster sceptically.

Zedd actually laughed, a rather pleasant sound. "Hardly. Rita is the most evil woman I know, her every screech excites me, but it's not enough for me to say I would miss her. Besides, I mean Leslie. She'll never want to see me again, of course, but I wish I could go back."

"Well, if you weren't trying to enslave your daughters, that might speed the reconciliation."

Zedd chuckled again. "It might at that. But alas Jamie, if she is still alive, is my daughter and belongs at my side. If she won't obey me, I have no choice other than to treat her like I would any other enemy. And Leslie... she's mine by right of marriage." He sighed. "I want you to begin a check on Larry Zedden and what he did during his time on Earth. If he had other children that he's somehow - hiding from me, I want to know."

"Of course Lord Zedd," Finster agreed. "I assumed you would ask and have already found a list of women he had a relationship with. As far as I can tell, none of the relationships resulted in offspring."

Zedd nodded, Larry was too honourable to leave a woman with child. Still if those relationships had been close then the women were technically his and their offspring were his to claim if he desired. He didn't have any legal claim to them, but the demon was possessive.

"Find out if these women had children. If so, bring them here. They can still be of use."

"Yes Lord Zedd," Finster nodded.

"Right, now I'm going to get some sleep." Absently, he reached out for the staff that lay against one wall, and then stopped. "It'll be safe enough there until morning, I suppose." Leaving the staff behind, Zedd headed for his bedroom.

* * *

A few days later and morning came peacefully to Angel Grove. A few of the citizens talked about the shooting stars from the night before, but they were in a minority. For the most part such events were common place in the Freak Zone and those who did care simply wrote it off as yet another side-effect of the Power Rangers' never-ending battle against evil. Little fazed Angel Groveites anymore. On the campus of the Price School of Arts and Science, Katarina was taking a walk with her closest friend, Christina Collins.

"I still don't know how you do it, Katya," Christina sighed, shaking her head. Her long auburn hair stirred slightly in the breeze. "You dance, you kickbox, you have a boyfriend, and you keep up with your school work! Where do you find the time?"

Katarina laughed, her violet eyes twinkling. "Well, for one thing, I don't study obsessively, like you do. You, spend more time studying than any three students I know. Besides, I don't have a boyfriend. Rocky and I are just friends. So our study dates really are just that. Kickboxing doesn't take up much more time than dancing. I admit I'm on the go a lot, but since I'm usually with my friends, it's really a lot of fun. You should come along with us sometime. You'd probably enjoy yourself."

"Right. Hang out with a bunch of people I don't know, and run myself ragged trying to keep my grades straight. No thanks, Katya."

"If you'd cut down on the studying a little and maybe relax the ballet, you'd still be the best in the school, and you'd have more time for yourself. You don't have to kickbox like I do, so that's some free time right there."

Christina's blue eyes sparkled as she prepared to answer her friend, but an odd expression suddenly crossed her face. "That's odd. Do you hear something?"

"Where?"

"Over there, off to the right," Christina pointed at the empty space. On the ground were two small rings, one with a white stone, the other with a silver gem. "That's impossible, they weren't here before," she said as she picked up the white one. Katarina did the same with the silver gem.

Before Katarina could reply, they noticed Finster standing in front of them, backed up by an army of Tengas.

"My master Lord Zedd wishes for you to join him," Finster told them.

"Why?" Katarina asked.

"Because he wishes it," the aged monster maker explained as the Tengas advanced.

"Oh look, birds," Katarina sneered, wondering where these words were coming from. "I've heard about Lord Zedd on the news. If you think we're going to go with you, you are out of your mind." She settled into a fighting stance. Gingerly, Christina did the same. She had no formal martial arts training, but her years of ballet had given her a phenomenal agility, and hanging out with Katarina had taught her a few things about handling herself in a fight. Right now, she just wished she knew what was going on.

"If you insist," Finster sighed, wondering why he had been given this assignment. "Tengas attack!" The birds rushed the girls, but before the fight could begin weapon fire erupted around them, throwing the Tengas backwards with a dual jet of solid air.

"Well, this evens things up a bit, doesn't it?" Blue Zeo chuckled. "Shall we dance?"

The Tengas looked at each other in confusion. Any debate was solved by the other Zeo Rangers teleporting in. and Finster, realizing that he had lost whatever chance he had of seizing the two girls was gone, disappeared as quickly as he had come.

"Are you two all right?" Red Zeo asked worriedly.

"What just happened?" Katarina asked.

"Rita and Zedd's forces don't stick around when the odds are against them. At least their most intelligent forces don't. Don't worry, we'll be watching in case they decide to try again," Red Zeo promised. Then in a flash of colours the Rangers teleported away.

* * *

Maguire's Leap was the last outpost of vegetation along the old Angel Grove highway. Beyond the bluff, the yellow grass and sagebrush gave way to the true desert that California is really composed of. It was warm out here, temperatures in the mid-60's. Sitting under a stunted and rather lonely tree, Lillian O'Neil looked out over the desert, wondering if that band of grey on the horizon was a cloud or a band of Los Angeles smog. A cloud, she decided. They were really too far north to get smog from LA. Shifting position, she sighed. California appealed to her, just like it appealed to the rest of the family. It wasn't that she didn't want to travel; it was just that she didn't want to live anywhere else. That's why she was heading to Crossworld University for college. The town was close enough to home that she could visit, but far enough away that she'd be getting a real "going away experience." Besides, Crossworld U had a great chemistry program, the city had lots of martial arts studios, and for excitement, there was always the VR Troopers.

She grinned to herself. Her friends thought she was crazy, trading in one set of monster-fighting super heroes for another, but she liked danger. She didn't go looking for trouble, but when trouble came, she rather enjoyed handling it. Living in Crossworld promised just the kind of excitement she was looking for.

Suddenly, a bright flash of light caught her eye. "Hey, what's that?" she wondered, noticing something glinting in the sunlight. Searching in the grass she uncovered a small ring with a black stone. "Pretty," she commented before slipping it into her pocket. Her expression blanked for a moment and then she went back to her daydreaming about Tommy Oliver, her recent discovery forgotten.

Although she had not wanted to admit it to Randi, he had made an impression on her. He was tall, handsome, and very nice. She'd liked him since the moment she met him, four years. Still, it was silly to fantasize about the two of them. There was only this school year, plus three months for the summer, and then it was off to college for all of them. Lillian sighed again. That wasn't so short a time, she decided. People made do with less. Maybe she and Tommy could develop a friendship in that time. A girl could never have enough friends.

* * *

If the Rangers thought Rita and Zedd would give up after one failed kidnap attempt, they were mistaken. Through careful research Finster had discovered that both girls were descendants of those who had had some sort of relationship with Larry Zedden. And while that in no way made them related to Zedd, the demon had decided that the link was enough for him to claim them as servants to his court. That the Rangers had bothered rescuing the two girls had suggested that they were friends, even though Katarina was unaware that her friend was the Blue Zeo Ranger and Christina had very little to do with Tommy Oliver and his friends. He planned to find a way to use that friendship, just as he would use everything else they possessed to his advantage. It was a few days later when the attackers had returned in force and the Rangers had been thrown into battle.

"Tommy, we are getting our butts handed to us out here!" Jamie cried, as yet another of Zedd's Z-Putties sent her sprawling. A combination of magic and technology allowed Jamie to disguise her features. While not a Power Ranger, the sword gave her the endurance needed to deal with Zedd's goons. A bolt of energy from her sword turned her opponent into a mound of clay.

"No kidding! We can't give up, though. Weapons, everybody! Zeo V Power Sword!" Red Ranger called.

"Zeo IV Power Hatchet!"

"Zeo III Arm Blades!"

"Zeo II Nunchuks!"

"Zeo I Power Shield!"

"Golden Power Staff!"

"All right, people!" Red Ranger called. "Let's kick some butt!"

The Rangers launched themselves at their enemies, but found themselves extremely outnumbered. "Any more bright ideas?" Green Ranger asked.

"Yeah. Divide and conquer. Split up into teams of two and take 'em!"

"But Tommy, there's seven of us!" Blue Ranger yelled.

"I'll take on some by myself. Get going!" The other Rangers scattered, doing as ordered. Red Ranger, fighting by himself, soon realized that he was gravely outnumbered. Still, he fought on, hoping to buy his friends the time they needed to defeat the one of Zedd's monsters called The Shifter. It was able to assume any identity it wanted, making it a real pain in the butt to fight in groups. You couldn't tell who you were fighting. Worst of all, there seemed to be no way of making it unable to change, as Zedd had eliminated the original weakness of Primator. The battle had not been going well for the Rangers.

The Rangers regrouped after destroying the Z-Putties. All of them turned to face the Shifter.

Forming its arms into blades, the monster attacked, slicing effortlessly through the material of the Rangers' suits. It scored several hits on each Ranger, but was obviously targeting Red Ranger.

"Tommy!" Pink Ranger cried, as the leader of the Rangers slumped to the ground, bleeding freely from at least a dozen places.

"Oh you've done it now," Jamie warned, her temper getting the better of her. "Mess with my friends and you're going to get it!" A bolt of purple energy shot from her hands, exploding against the chest as purple flames. A hefty kick shattered the rapidly cooled ash into a billion pieces.

After checking the monster was not going to behave like the machines in the movies, the Rangers then turned to where their leader lay fallen. After waiting for his wounds to heal sufficiently they teleported away, hoping that Rita and Zedd would give up for the day, but knowing such an idea was unlikely. The whole group then teleported back to the Power Chamber.

"Ai yi yi!" Alpha cried, seeing the Rangers teleport in. "What happened to Tommy?"

"Zedd's latest goon happened," Gold Ranger replied violently, ripping his helmet off and slamming it down on a console. "Zordon, what is going on here? Ranger suits are made of UMF, unstable molecular fabric. It's supposed to be completely unrippable, yet Zedd's creation was able to cut through it like it was butter. What happened?"

Zordon sighed. "UMF can only be cut with a mono-molecular edge. It appears Zedd, has discovered how to equip his monsters with this, no doubt stealing the knowledge from Mondo. Unfortunately, I know of no way to reinforce your suits. I am afraid that you will just have to be even more careful when in battle."

* * *

Tommy woke up with a few hours later with a headache, which practically screamed for Excedrin. Two or three bottles worth. "Either that, or I could just shoot myself," he grumbled, sitting up. He teleported away, hoping that some air would help.

"Feeling better?" a voice behind him asked. He turned to see Lillian sitting on the ground beside him. At his questioning glance she explained: "Your friends said you weren't feeling well." She tried talking to him for a few minutes but it soon became clear he was not in the mood for conversation. "I can see I caught you at the wrong time. I'll speak to you again."

"Wait!" he called, grimacing as the noise made his headache worse. "I was wondering. Would you like to go to dinner and a movie with me tomorrow night? I've been trying to get up the guts to call you ever since the dance."

She flashed him a dazzling smile. "I'd love to. Meet you at the theatre at eight?"

He grinned. "Actually, I was hoping you could pick me up. My car's in the shop, and I live too far from the theatre to walk."

She chuckled. "Sure, I can pick you up- if you don't mind riding a motorcycle. Where do you live?" He gave her his address, and she promised to pick him up at seven-thirty. Then she moved off, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

* * *

The next evening, Tommy was nervously waiting for Lillian to come pick him up. His parents had been ecstatic to learn that he had a date. Teddy had been ecstatic as well, but for a different reason, now that Tommy had a date, the heavy-duty teasing could begin.

When the doorbell rang, Tommy nearly knocked both his parents over running to answer it. Outside, Lillian stood, dressed in black jeans, a blue silk shirt, and a black leather jacket. In her hands, she held a black motorcycle helmet that bore an interesting resemblance to the one she wore the night before. Tommy raised an eyebrow, and she chuckled. "I've had it for about a year and a half, ever since I turned sixteen and bought myself a motorcycle. Come on, I'm parked right by the curb."

Tommy waved goodbye to his parents and followed her out the door, grabbing his own leather jacket as he did so. When she reached the motorcycle, she lifted the seat up and pulled another helmet out of the compartment beneath. This one was red, a crimson colour which showed up well even in the moonlight. Lillian handed it to him and mounted the bike. Tommy pulled the helmet on and settled in behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You like this arrangement?" she asked, sounding amused.

"Oh, yeah," he grinned. "I should ride motorcycles more often," he responded, squeezing gently. This time, when she chuckled, he could feel her stomach muscles rippling.

"I'll hold you to that," she replied. "Hold on!" She started the bike and roared off into the night.

* * *

After the movie, they went to dinner at Mario's, the best Italian restaurant in Angel Grove. Tommy watched, slightly amazed, as Lillian consumed an order of cannelloni that would have made Rocky pause, and finished it off with a large helping of spumoni. "How do you eat that much?" Tommy asked, fascinated.

"I have a Black Belt in Tiger Kung Fu," she told him, swallowing. "I practice every day, and Tiger is a very energetic, powerful style. It burns a lot of calories. I need it too since I don't have many friends to back me up, I really am a loner. Oh, sure, I have a few friends, but nobody really close until now. I've never- dated anyone before you, either."

Tommy's jaw dropped. "You mean, this isn't just our first date, it's your first date ever?"

She nodded, unable to meet his eyes.

"Why?"

She shrugged. "Well, no one ever asked me, and there wasn't anyone I liked well enough to ask. I guess I was scared of rejection. As a result, I kind of have the reputation of being a cold fish. I never really bothered me all that much. People ignored me, I ignored them back. I didn't really need anyone, or so I told myself."

"Weren't you lonely?" Tommy asked softly, remembering his days as the Green Ranger. Even when he hadn't been losing his powers, or under a spell, or bearing the brunt of Rita's latest little trick, there had been an indefinable barrier between him and the other Rangers. It might have been of his own making; it certainly wasn't of theirs. It was certainly there, though, a mental and physical separation, an attitude of "I don't need them, so if I lose them, it won't hurt so much." The only problem was the loneliness. He had been filled with it, utter and consuming. If it hadn't been for Kimberly and Jason, - Tommy shook his head, dispelling his dark thoughts. The important thing was that they had reached him, had broken through his wall, and brought him out. Those days were over now, and even though he had accepted them, he didn't have to dwell on them.

"Yes, I was lonely," Lillian admitted, drawing him back to the conversation. "I just didn't admit it, even to myself. I always told myself that I was happier on my own, where I didn't have to live up to other people's expectations. I said I was just a loner by nature. What I really was- was a coward. I was too afraid to take a risk, for fear of being hurt."

"You're not alone anymore, Lillian," he told her, looking into her eyes. "I'm here for you. I know what you're feeling. In a way, we're very alike. I'll always be here to listen."

She took his hand and held it for a moment. "Thanks, Tommy. That means a lot to me."

They stared at each other for a second before the silence became uncomfortable. "So why did you buy a motorcycle instead of a car?" he asked curiously.

"One, it was a good deal cheaper. Two, I like motorcycles. They're fast, they're responsive, they're really a lot more fun than cars. I'm an adrenaline junkie. Cars are boring."

"I'm sorry I asked," Tommy chuckled. The two teens then reapplied themselves to their desserts, their conversation turning to other things.

**To be continued **


	8. Ties the Bind Part 3 - Enemies Bound by

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to the respective copyright owners. Large sections of this story were originally written by Ellen Brand and featured in her series Personality Conflicts. They are used with permission and I thank Ellen for allowing me to do this. Lillian, Jamie, Christina and Katarina are COE versions of Lillian O'Neil, Jamie Zedden, Christina Collins and Katarina Petronov from Personality Conflicts. The original names and their characters are the property of either Ellen Brand or Jennifer Bigley.

Ties the Bind Part 3 - Enemies Bound by Purpose

"Beautiful day for a walk, isn't it?" Jamie asked, looking up at the cloudless blue sky.

"Yes, it is," replied Jason.

"Sure thing." The two teens had turned in the direction of Jason's house when a horde of foot soldiers teleported in, blocking their path.

"Just what we don't need right now," Jason grumped. He didn't recognise the scarecrow like warriors although he sensed that they posed a very real threat. He allowed himself to wonder whether this was a new move on Rita and Zedd's part, or whether there was a new player involved. He did realise when the battle started that while unrelenting, they were stoppable, a hard kick to the head was enough to literally knock the stuffing out of them.

"It's Morphin Time! Red Ranger Power!"

Nothing happened.

"Something's stopping me from morphing," he commented.

"So I noticed," Jamie replied. She summoned her sword. "Stay behind me," she ordered. "Come on scarecrows, let's rock."

The fight was brutal. Jamie was like living lightning, carving through the Crowmen as if they were nothing at all. Jason joined in, discovering that any blow that exposed the Crowmens' straw innards, was sufficient to disable the new fighters. He was doing well until a black clad arm curled around his shoulders and something sharp and cold was pressed against his throat.

"Enough playing, drop the sword, girl," the Crow Master ordered. Jamie whirled to see Jason held hostage by the heavily cloaked figure, a sharp sickle resting against his throat.

"Drop Jason," she returned sharply, "or I drop you."

Crow Master laughed contemptuously. "You aren't carrying a gun, Ranger. And despite your abilities with that sword, there is no way that you could reach me in time to save your lover here."

Jamie raised an eyebrow, but decided not to debate her relationship with Jason with some wacko. "If you kill him, there won't be enough of you left to build a toaster, I can promise you that."

Crow Master shrugged. "Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. I hate mankind and would love to see this one dead. I would gladly suffer the effort of losing a sword fight to you and having to find a replacement body to carry it off. However, as much as I want that, I have another agenda, one that requires you meat sacks alive. Now, I'll be happy to go with either agenda. The spirits will be angry with me for denying them their treat, but I'm very good at planning on the run. You, therefore, have the choice. Do I gut the Red Ranger, or do you surrender to me and buy the both of you some time?"

Jamie sighed, then dropped the sword into the grass, where some Crowmen quickly recovered it.

"Excellent!" Crow Master laughed, a strange sound from such an insane woman. "Now, if you'll both accompany me, I have some matters to attend to which require your presence." Two Crowmen grabbed Jamie's arms roughly, and the whole group disappeared in a column of corn dust.

* * *

They materialized in a cavern. Jason groaned. "Not another weird space. I'm getting so sick of these things that I could just hurl."

Crow Master laughed, clearly amused. "No, not a weird space as such, more of a Quasi-world. This place doesn't exist in your world, but it is here that I produce my Crowmen. Not much comfort, but look on the bright side. You won't be staying that long and in death you'll be helping me to revive my master." Jason and Jamie were shoved into a small, dead-end side passage. Bars of stone slid into place across the opening, sealing them in and confirming that despite appearances, they were not on the farm.

"Not to be cliché," Jamie sighed, "but what are you planning on doing to us?"

"Both of you have a link to the Morphin Grid," Crow Master replied. "His link is stronger than yours, but every little helps. I intend to drain that energy and use it to revive my master."

"Oh please," Jason grumbled.

"I take it this isn't the first time this has happened?" Jamie asked.

"Remind me sometime and I'll tell you about it," Jason promised. "Seriously, this has been done so many times it's not funny."

"How true," Crow Master agreed. "Unfortunately it is necessary. My Crowmen are exceptional creatures, but they lack the Morphin energy I require. Their very existence drains my powers, so I need another source. You will be that source, and when you're gone, I'll find one of your friends to replace you. This cavern is magically enchanted to leech energy from your link to the Morphin Grid by absorbing your life force and turning it into something I can use. The stronger your link to the Power, the longer you'll last.

Jason, as Red Ranger, you have three hours at most before you lapse into unconsciousness, and two hours after that you will be a lifeless husk. Your little girlfriend might stay awake almost two hours; Zarakins have a way of drawing on their environment in times of need. I assure you that she'll surely die after four. It will be a quick death and I guarantee it will be anything but painless. Still, at least you won't have to watch her die." Laughing maniacally, he teleported out, leaving the two teens to their fate.

Letting out a long, frustrated breath, Jamie sank down against the far wall. Almost reluctantly, Jason joined her. "We'll get out of this, you know," he told her. "The others will save us."

She nodded. "I know. I'm just tired."

He wrapped his arms around her neck and smiled at her. "It'll be all right. We'll be okay."

* * *

In the Power Chamber, chaos didn't just reign, it poured. An old joke, perhaps, but it was exactly what had popped into Rocky DeSantos's mind as he watched his friends attempt to find Jason and Jamie. Zordon had called and alerted the Rangers to Crow Master's attack, but by the time the Rangers had arrived, no one was there. Although they had not recognised Crow Master, the Rangers, especially Adam, were trying to find their missing friends, but to no avail.

"Ai yi yi, Zordon!" Alpha cried. "I can't get a fix on them. Someone seems to have blocked off every avenue of tracking!"

"Power Chamber, please respond. I know you're not going to want to talk to me, but this is urgent! Power Chamber, please respond." A strange voice floated through the room, coming from the speakers near the viewing globe. As one, the Rangers turned toward the globe and saw the image of a man, in his mid-forties, with sandy brown hair and hazel eyes.

"Zedd, what do you want?" Zordon asked, startling all the Rangers. They had known that Zedd had once stolen the body that had resembled a human, but the knowledge hadn't really sunk in. It was hard for them to equate this rather handsome man with the image of Zedd that they were used to.

"Damn it, Zordon, my daughter is missing! All I want is to get her back! I can't do it alone, and I don't think you can, either. If we pool our resources, though, maybe we can find her. I'm asking for a truce, please. For Jamie's sake."

Something in the man's eyes touched Tommy's spirit. Despite all the hatred he had built up for Zedd over the past few years, Tommy believed him. With all his evil, Zedd obviously cared about his daughter very much. He wouldn't try a double-cross until Jamie was safe. "I say do it," Tommy replied, his voice hard as steel.

"I agree, Tommy. Zedd, stand by for teleportation into the Power Chamber."

A flash of red light, and Lord Zedd in his human form stood before them. "I know we are enemies, Rangers," he said, "but my daughter's life is at stake. I will not put her in jeopardy, no matter what."

Tommy nodded. "Understood. What do you think you can do that we can't?"

Zedd sighed. "First, I can lower your search field somewhat. This thing, Crow Master, he has them somewhere in either a terrasect or weird space on Earth."

"How do you know this?" Tanya asked with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

"First, they can't be on the moon, or I would know. You can't hide a Ranger's power from me when they're that close. They can't be any farther away, because those Crowmen are incompatible with long-distance transportation spells. That leaves Earth, and the only places on Earth that he could shield are other dimensions."

"Anything else?" Adam asked.

"Yes. I know how these things work, and I could help you search for them. I also have this." Out of a sub-space pocket, he pulled out a sword, which bore a great resemblance to Jamie's. "This is the twin of her blade, constructed from the spoils of war, it has a few added abilities. One of those included the ability to find its brother sword."

"So why couldn't you just use it yourself?" Tanya asked suspiciously.

"I don't have the power or the range to penetrate those places mentally."

"But we do," Kat remarked, light dawning in her face.

Inhaling deeply, Rocky took the sword's hilt in both hands. Closing his eyes, he sent his mind ranging out over the dimensions. The magic of the sword seemed to guide him, and very soon, he found what he sought.

"I found them!" he cried, her eyes flying open. "She has them in a terrasect whose entrance is in a cave in the Angel Grove hills. Unfortunately, she's put up a barrier around the area. We can't get to them." The Rangers deflated. "There's worse news," he continued. "She's draining their life forces. They both have three hours to live, I'm afraid. Jamie is being drained faster than he is, but is feeding from the environment. She may actually have more time. It's hard for me to tell." At Rocky's revelation, Zedd's face went chalky white, and Tommy knew that he hadn't made a mistake in his judgment of the older man.

"If only we could get to them," Tanya sighed.

"I'm working as fast as I can," grumbled Adam.

* * *

Jason came awake slowly at first, unwilling to leave his dream of taking Emily to Prom. Reality was stubborn about inserting itself, however, and he soon became conscious of the hard stone lying beneath him and Jamie lying beside him. With great effort, he turned to her, and was alarmed at what he saw. Jamie's skin, always redhead-fair, was now dead white, and her breathing was shallow. He had to get her out of there before it was too late for both of them. But how? He was too weak to lift a finger, much less break stone bars. If he had his Ranger powers, things might be different, but they were blocked.

Or were they. Suddenly, Jason had an idea. His Morphin powers had been blocked when they had been fighting the Crowmen, but perhaps the Crow Master had forgotten to block them here. It would be risky, especially if the magic that had already left him weakened drained them as well. And he would only get one shot at it, after which his body would be too tired from the effort to try again.

Focussing his energies, Jason reached down into himself before drawing his morpher, looking for the core of power, which resided within him. Feeling it flood him, he cried out. "Red Ranger Power!" Scarlet light flashed, and when it cleared, Jason was standing up, feeling completely normal. ~Not much time,~ he thought to himself, noticing that already the edges of his uniform were flickering. ~Let's go!~ Aiming his Blade Blaster at the bars of his cage, he fired, blowing the door to smithereens. He turned back to Jamie and gently picked her up in his arms. Then he dashed down the corridor.

About halfway along, he ran into a troop of Crowmen. One just happened to be carrying Jamie's sword. Placing Jamie behind a rock for safekeeping, Jason opened fired, pleased to see that they were also vulnerable to heat. The Crowmen were quickly disposed of, and Jason moved on, this time with Jamie and her sword.

He made it out of the barn without further incident and quickly realised that it had been an illusion. In truth the Crow Master had kept them in a cave. He also knew that he wasn't going to be able to go much further. His vision was beginning to blur and his knees were weakening as the effects of the cell caught up with him. In his arms, Jamie started to stir, and he put her down.

"Jason?" she asked groggily, coming to full awareness slowly.

"Sorry, that's as far as my powers go," he told her.

"So much for the great prison break!" Jamie looked up to see Crow Master sneering down at her. Slowly, she rose, her sword clenched in one hand.

"Okay, I told you earlier. Mess with Jason and you'll be sorry."

Crow Master summoned a deadly looking scythe. "Foolish girl! I don't think you're quite recovered from the effects of my energy drain yet. I doubt you can keep up with me."

Jamie just set her grip. Crow Master was right, of course. Her vision was blurry and her muscles were weak. She probably couldn't defeat him. However, she damn well wasn't going to let him know that. "C'mon, rag head. Let's roll."

* * *

"They're out of the cave!" Adam cried. "Jason's collapsed, Jamie's fighting with... whoever that is."

"And that damn field's still up!" Billy protested, "I can't get us in."

"Maybe you can't get in," Zedd replied, "but I can." He disappeared in a flash of red light.

* * *

With a lightning-quick manoeuvre, Crow Master knocked the sword from Jamie's hand. A swift kick dropped her heavily to the ground. "Good-bye, child," he laughed, lifting his scythe above his head. It streaked down towards her face, and Jamie closed her eyes, not wanting to see.

CLANG! The sound of metal striking on metal caused Jamie's eyes to fly open. Crow Master's stroke had been blocked by a 'z' ended staff. Holding it was a tall man with sandy hair. He darted a look back over his shoulder to make sure Jamie was all right, and she gasped.

"Dad?" she whispered.

"Well, well, the mighty Lord Zedd," Crow Master remarked. "I've heard of you, but I didn't expect to see you here."

"Obviously. Otherwise you would have made your shield to keep me out, too." The air was filled with the sound of clashing metal as Zedd and Crow Master sparred. "You mess with my property and you're going to regret it."

"Ha!" he scoffed. "Do you really think you can beat me? I am the Crow Master, born of the seeds of evil. You are no match for my power!"

"I have yet to see any power," Zedd replied, hurling a fireball at him, which he blocked. "Yes, I see it all now. You are nothing, a two bit nobody with a speck of magical ability trying to make a name for himself. You're not worth preserving, unless you tell me who sent you, who is this master that you wish to revive?"

The Crow Master laughed and tried to attack again, prompting Zedd to throw another fireball. This time the Crow Master did not manage to block it and was incinerated. Concerned, Zedd turned back to his daughter.

"Jamie, are you all right?"

"I'm a little dizzy, but other than that, I'm fine," she lied. Actually, she was exhausted, but she wasn't going to let Zedd know that.

"Come along, we need to get you and your - friend to the Power Chamber."

Jamie did as she was told, wondering how on Earth Zedd was going to get into the Power Chamber. Her question was answered when she felt all three of them dissolve into their component molecules. When they reformed, the Rangers were staring at them. Gently, Zedd and Jamie laid Jason down on a convenient table.

"He's fine," Zedd informed them. "Just exhausted from using his powers in the middle of an energy drain."

Not trusting Zedd's diagnosis, Kat stepped forward and carried out a short examination of her friend.

"He'll be all right," she told them. Turning to Zedd, she smiled warmly at him. "Thank you."

"I didn't do it for free," he told her before turning to Jamie. "You are mine and no other may claim you... Anything else is irrelevant" He turned towards Tommy. "Our truce is ended, Rangers. When I leave here, everything goes back to normal."

Tommy nodded. "Understood." In a flash of red light, Zedd disappeared. Tommy turned to Jamie. "Are you all right?" he asked, concerned.

She nodded. "Nothing about ten hours sleep won't cure. Alpha, drag me out another one of those pallets, would you? I think I'm going to sleep right here."

"Rangers, the rest of you should go home. I will call you when your friends awaken." Nodding, the Rangers teleported out, except Jamie, who had already fallen fast asleep.

* * *

In his lunar fortress, Zedd sat, staring absently into space. Finster tiptoed around the corridors, having learned not to disturb his master in this mood. Zedd was deep in thought. Why had he helped save the Scott boy when he could have left him there? It went contrary to all logic. He should have let the brat die and danced at his funeral. Instead, the Rangers would be as strong as ever. There was no explanation for his actions.

~Simple, your saving him made your daughter happy. If he'd died she would have hated you. So long as she doesn't hate you, even if she doesn't love you, she can be turned.~

Absently, he reached out and took his staff. Soon, his eyes were glowing the same red as the staff. Things were much clearer now. There would be no more truces with the Rangers. He would destroy them one by one, and if Jamie refused to join him or got in the way, too bad. He was not going to let a snip of a girl cause his downfall.

**To be continued **


	9. Ties that Bind Part 4 - Release from the

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to the respective copyright owners. Large sections of this story were originally written by Ellen Brand and featured in her series Personality Conflicts. They are used with permission and I thank Ellen for allowing me to do this. Lillian, Jamie, Christina and Katarina are COE versions of Lillian O'Neil, Jamie Zedden, Christina Collins and Katarina Petronov from Personality Conflicts. The original names and their characters are the property of either Ellen Brand or Jennifer Bigley.

Ties that Bind Part 4 - Release from the Darkness

Two weeks later

"The Devil," Lillian mused, studying the spread in front of her. "The dark side of human nature, passing away." Her finger moved to the next card. "The Tower. The breaking of a current situation, the old making way for the new." Turning over the next card in the spread, she stopped.

Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Death? What does that mean?"

She smiled at him. "Not necessarily dying, it's simply a reinforcement of the Tower. A great change is coming." What she didn't mention was the difference in meanings. Death was in the position of what will come, and signified simply a change, an upheaval. The Tower, in the position of what might be, signified breaking out of the old ways, and usually meant a change for the better.

Moving on, the next card that she turned over turned out to be two cards. Lillian frowned. She had never dealt out two cards to one position before in all her time practicing with the cards. When she realized what they were, she gasped. "The Lovers and the Two of Cups. Two instances of a relationship renewed or begun. Something very strange is going on here."

Tommy frowned. The two of them were in the Youth Center, where Lillian had promised to show him her Tarot cards and how she read them. The sample reading she had done, on the situation in general, had begun to spook her, however. Deliberately, to lighten the mood, he shrugged. "What do cups have to do with love?"

"Cups correspond to Hearts in the ordinary deck. In addition, cups represent water, and water represents the emotions. The Two of Cups represents the formation of a bond, usually love."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Does this stuff really work?"

She shrugged. "I've been wrong before, but not as often as I've been right. Now, maybe my clients and I have read into the reading, but it always seems to work."

"I'm sure things will turn out all right," he reassured her. "Come on, we have to meet the others in the park soon. If we don't hurry up, Rocky and Jason will have polished off all of the food!"

Laughing, the two teens packed up the cards and left the juice bar hand in hand, the strange predictions temporarily forgotten.

* * *

In the park, Tommy sat on a blanket and watched his friends laughing and running around like grade-schoolers. Jason, in particular was the most energetic. With a sigh, he thought about the way things had changed since he had become a Power Ranger. He had a new team now, consisting of his original team, Aisha, David and Samoht that operated on an as-needed basis. It was a team that had thrived, especially Jason, whose position was most comfortable, having been placed there by friends and teachers for most of his life.

The Zeo Ranger team was as strong as ever and the Gold Ranger had pretty much been accepted as the sixth unofficial member of the team. For some reason though it was hard to think of Trey as the sixth Zeo Ranger, there was still that slight gap to overcome where ideology and personalities were concerned.

The changes had for the most part been good, but there were always drawbacks. The incredible closeness they had all felt during their time as Rangers had been lost. No longer was everyone else's best friend as old and newer Rangers tried to interact. Now there were tight and loose bonds, even though everyone was still friendly. Adam and Rocky had drawn even closer together, and Trey seemed to spend most of his time with them. The Triforian prince and Rocky had formed an unusually close friendship, for reasons none of the others could fathom. Sighing again, Tommy turned to regard his girlfriend, Lillian. She simply sat, watching the others play and laugh, smiling occasionally, but making no move to join in the celebration, blissfully unaware of the turmoil in her boyfriend's outwardly normal life. Tommy shook his head. Once again, he was almost forcibly reminded of his days as the Green Ranger. It had been so hard for him to join in the fun, partly from guilt, partly from shyness, and partly from an inner reserve that made it hard for him to relate to other people.

Smiling, he rose to his feet. Crossing to where she sat, he reached down and pulled her up. "Come on," he told her. "We're going to play Frisbee."

Ignoring her laughing protests, he dragged her over to where Jason, Zack, and Tanya were throwing the little plastic disk around. "Mind if we play?" he asked.

Jason shrugged. "Suit yourself, bro," The five teens tossed the Frisbee around for a while, and Lillian gradually lost her reserve, laughing and teasing with the others.

Finally, Jason begged off, pleading exhaustion. Sitting under a tree with a sigh, he closed his eyes and relaxed. When he felt somebody sit next to him, a quick glance revealed it was Jamie.

"How you feeling?" she asked.

Jason and his girlfriend Emily had broken up a couple of days ago, the stress of his maintaining a secret causing unnecessary strain on their relationship. While he and Jamie were not dating, their friendship had grown steadily stronger.

"I'm okay. Except- does if feel like it's going to storm to you?" he asked curiously.

"No," she shook her head, confused. "The sky is clear, the birds are singing, and the pressure is constant. I can't feel any of the oppressive wind that comes with a thunderstorm. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know. Zordon once told me that the residue of the Gold Power might leave me sensitive to energy currents, and I can't shake the feeling something big is on the horizon."

"You aren't the only one to feel that way. Look," she pointed. Out on the green grass, Rocky, Adam, Kat, and Trey were playing football. Adam seemed distracted, enough so that he bobbled a pass which promptly hit him in the face. Trini, sitting talking to Kimberly, kept losing the thread of the conversation.

"Every Ranger with any psychic ability whatsoever is totally out of their skull this morning. Even some of us who aren't Rangers," she added, pointing to Christina Collins. After her run-in with Lord Zedd's army, Zordon had maintained a watch over Christina and Katarina, and had concluded the girl had some obvious if untrained psychic ability. He had asked the Rangers to consider approaching her and training her as a potential ally. "Even I feel it, and I'm barely telepathic. I guess carrying a mystically powered blade allows me to feel something."

Jason bit back as laugh. Since she had come into the Rangers' lives, Jamie had proven herself a valued comrade. And while her lack of powers made her vulnerable, her skills as a warrior more than compensated. She was almost an unofficial member of the team.

As with all the others, something was buzzing at the back of his mind, and he couldn't seem to hold his concentration. "I hope we find out what's going on soon," he remarked, "or we're all going to be nervous wrecks."

"Hmm," Jamie mused. "I wonder if that's the idea." Her gaze was instantly drawn up to the blue sky.

* * *

Up on the moon, the atmosphere was almost as charged as that of Angel Grove Park. Lord Zedd had been his general fiendish self, striding around his throne room, plotting the demise of the Power Rangers as if he was still lord and master of the moon, and that the events of the past two years had not occurred. Everything seemed almost normal.

Except it wasn't. Lord Zedd had snapped. At least that was the general consensus among his underlings. In fact his recent act of parental care had weakened the demon's hold on its host's body. In a desperate attempt to reassert control, the Emperor of the Dark Galaxy had become obsessed with the Power Rangers, to the point where he was willing to put himself in danger to destroy them.

Rita had left the night before, not saying where she was going, but promising that she would destroy at least one Ranger by the time she returned. That had done little more than pushed Zedd further as he refused to be outdone by his wife.

* * *

In the Youth Center, Kimberly and Lillian were sitting by and giggling as Zack went through his trademark magic act. Finally, he got to the card tricks, and offered the deck to Kimberly for the "pick a card, any card," segment. She picked the two of hearts, and he went on with the trick. However, when he did the next one, she again picked the two of hearts. Lillian frowned at the deck.

"Zack, can I see those cards?" she asked. He turned the cards towards her so that she could see that they were all different. "Kim, could you pick a card again?' Shrugging, Kimberly reached out and drew a card from the deck. Once again, it was the two of hearts. Kimberly looked up at her two friends in shock.

"What are the odds against that?" Kimberly asked, her eyes wide.

Zack shrugged. "I dunno, but they're high. Lillian, you're the card expert. What does the two of hearts mean?"

"The start of a love affair, the formation of a bond. It corresponds to the two of cups in the Tarot deck, and symbolizes two lovers plighting their troth, or making a promise of betrothal."

Zack raised an eyebrow at Kimberly, who blushed beet red. "I have to go. I have homework to do," she excused herself, leaping up and running out the door.

"Zack, something very strange is going on here. I keep turning up the two of cups in my Tarot readings, and now this. Something really odd is about to happen."

Zack shrugged. "Don't look at me, I'm just the entertainment."

* * *

"That's ridiculous," Kimberly muttered to herself, striding through the park. "I just came off a relationship, and I know better than to start one on the rebound. Of course, Tommy did, and look how his turned out. Still, I seriously doubt that there's a great romance in my future."

A shout interrupted her thoughts. "Hey, Kimberly!" Skull called, running to catch up with her. "Don't you know you shouldn't be in the park alone?" he asked, grinning.

"Are you offering your services as a bodyguard?" she giggled. Skull could always make her feel better, no matter what. He looked good today, she noticed. His loose blue jeans and red shirt hid his skinniness, and he wore a small gold stud in his ear, as opposed to the long, dangling earring he usually wore. To complete the picture, he was not chewing gum, an extremely unusual sight. As always, however, his dark hair was adorably mussed. ~Good grief, he's cute!~ Kimberly thought to herself, astonished.

"I do have some experience body guarding, you know," he told her seriously. "And it really isn't safe for you to walk through the park alone. I'd be happy to escort you, milady." He executed a charming bow, causing Kimberly to dissolve in giggles again.

"Okay, Skull," she laughed. "You've got a deal." They walked on, talking and laughing together, and Kimberly marvelled at how comfortable she felt when she was with Skull. ~The only person I ever felt this way with was Tommy,~ she thought wistfully. She almost laughed at the image of her dating Skull, and then stopped. That actually wasn't such a horrifying image. Skull was considerate, sweet, and obviously liked her a great deal. He had come a long way from the little punk who had such an atrocious crush on her in the old days.

Kimberly was jerked rudely out of her thoughts when Goldar appeared before them with an army of Tengas. "Hello, humans!" the monkey laughed evilly. "Empress Rita requests the pleasure of your presence!"

"Run, Skull!" Kimberly yelled, dropping into a fighting stance.

"Where to?" the detective asked practically. "We're kind of surrounded!"

"Shit," Kimberly cursed. "Looks like we're going to have to fight." The two teens launched themselves at the Tengas, and Kimberly was surprised to note, out of the corner of her eye, that Skull was actually holding his own. They were gravely outnumbered, however, and the Tengas had soon grabbed them, holding them fast. In a hail of feathers, the entire group disappeared.

* * *

"Kimberly's what?" Tommy cried, slamming his hands down on the console nearest him.

"She and Skull were kidnapped while they were walking through the park. We can no longer find them on our scanners," Alpha repeated, staying well out of the Red Ranger's reach. He had seen what the young man could do in a rage, and had no desire to be hit with flying debris.

"Why?" Trini asked. "What could Rita possibly want with them?"

"Take a wild guess," Jason replied grimly. "As for Skull, he was probably just in the wrong place at the wrong time. He and Bulk seem to have a gift for that."

"So what do we do?" Jamie asked practically.

"I guess now, all we can do is wait," Adam sighed.

* * *

Kimberly and Skull were dropped rather unceremoniously into a cave-like cell, with rough rock walls and a dirt floor. "Goldar, you big winged monkey! What are you planning to do with us?" Kimberly screamed.

"You'll find out, Miss Kimmie," Goldar laughed. Then he and the Tengas disappeared, leaving Kimberly to bang on the force field that kept them in the cell. Sighing, she turned back to Skull, who was examining their surroundings with wry amusement.

"These guys have a thing for caves, don't they?" he grinned at her. "That time that Goldar kidnapped the teen leaders, from that Peace Conference thing, Bulk and I tailed them, and sure enough, they went into a cave."

Kimberly smiled, remembering. Goldar had kidnapped the six teen leaders to make his evil Power Rangers, holding them hostage so that the Rangers would turn over their Power Coins. Thanks to Billy and some chocolate coins, however, they had managed to trick Goldar and rescue the teen leaders.

"Well, I guess we're going to be here a while," she sighed, sitting on the floor and leaning against a wall.

"Hmm," Skull replied, banging on the force field. "You might be right. I don't see any way of getting out of here. Unless of course, you've got something up your sleeve-" he turned back to her, "Pink Ranger."

Kimberly leaped to her feet. "What? What are you talking about? I'm not the Pink Ranger."

"Not anymore, no. I'd say you probably gave the position to Kat, am I right?" Her jaw dropped, all the answer Skull needed. "Hey, I am a good detective."

"How- how did you know?" Kimberly managed.

"Well, you obviously knew tall, dark, and gruesome out there, and as far as I know, the only people on a first-name basis with those goons are the Power Rangers. Then it hit me. You wear a lot of pink, a weird watch, and when you left, the girl who suddenly started hanging out with all your friends sounded a lot like the new Pink Ranger. Australian accents are not that common in Angel Grove. Then a lot of other things made sense, like how the five of you got out of detention that one time, when those evil Rangers were tearing up the city. You teleported out, didn't you?"

She nodded, still startled by this display of intelligence on Skull's part. He smiled crookedly at her. "I'm not dumb, Kimberly. I just made everyone think I am. It got me more attention that way. The teachers were always oohing and ahhing over you guys. I was never going to be smart enough to get attention that way, so I fell in with the wrong crowd and got attention that way. Not real smart, but I was a little kid. After that, I just sort of got into the habit of being a punk and acting dumb. I'm trying to clean up my act, but it hasn't been easy."

"Skull, I'm sorry. I've been pretty mean to you over the years, haven't I?"

"Naw! Kim, you've always been great. I've been a complete dork. It was just- I didn't know any other way to get you to notice me. I mean, you were always hanging out with Jason, and Zack, and you had every guy in the school trailing after you. I figured the only way I'd get you to notice me, was to be a jerk. Pretty stupid, huh?"

She smiled at him. "Well, I've been kind of stupid, myself. I never noticed what a great guy you are. I just thought you were another one of those guys with a stupid crush on me."

"I was," he grinned. "I don't have a crush on you anymore, though, Kimberly."

"No?" she asked, feeling a little disappointed.

"No," he replied seriously. "I'm in love with you. I think it happened somewhere in ninth grade, which must have been when you became a Power Ranger. You went from being a pretty, sweet, nice girl to being a courageous, beautiful woman. Everyone could see that you'd changed. It was pretty obvious that your biggest worries weren't school and clothes anymore. It was like watching a jeweller cut a diamond. The real value appears. I realized I was in love with you when it didn't bother me that you were with Tommy. I just wanted you to be happy."

Kimberly was speechless. "Skull, I- don't know what to say," she stammered. He held up a hand to quiet her.

"Don't say anything. I don't expect anything. I just- don't think I'm going to get out of this, and I wanted you to know."

"Skull," she stepped forward, trying to organize her thoughts. "I-" Just then, however, Goldar appeared, interrupting her.

"Bad timing," Skull sighed. "All right, what do you want?"

"You two are to come with me," Goldar sneered. "My empress has a little surprise prepared for you."

"I don't like surprises," Skull muttered as the Tengas closed in on them.

"Me either," Kim replied. Reaching out, she took his hand. He was startled for a moment, then squeezed it tightly as they were teleported out of the cell.

* * *

On the moon, Zedd watched the events on Earth, glowing fiendishly. "Hmm," he mused. "So Rita has kidnapped Kimberly, has she? Tommy must be going out of his mind! Let's take advantage of this, shall we? Hmm, something he'd never be able to raise a hand to, but something that could easily defeat him. I have it!" Pointing his staff at the Earth, he sent a bolt of lightning hurtling down towards earth. It struck a photo of Kim that Tommy still kept on his dresser. In a flash, an almost exact duplicate of Kimberly stood in Tommy's room. Almost, because she was dressed in an outfit Kim would never wear. It was black, completely onyx black, and tight to the skin, hinting at what lay beneath without actually revealing anything. On her feet were black boots with thick, high heels, giving her an extra two inches. At her back hung a katana, and a black hood, rather like that of a ninja, was around her neck.

"Lord Zedd, I am ready for your orders," she said, in a voice without emotion.

"Dark Lady, you are to go to the center of town and cause a commotion. When the Power Rangers show up to stop you, destroy them! If you manage to capture the Red Ranger, you may do with him as you wish."

She bowed, her eyes flashing a dark red. "Thank you, my lord." In a flash of black, she disappeared.

* * *

Kim and Skull found themselves in a large chamber, with strange and rather unnerving designs on the floor. At the other end of the room from them stood a large stone altar, with a number of rather nasty-looking tools resting on it, and a large green crystal ball that flashed at irregular intervals. In the center of the design was a post with chains on it. Rita stood to one side, chuckling evilly.

"Welcome, Kimberly. I'm sure you're just dying to know what's going on here, so I'll tell you. This is the same spell I used on your little boyfriend when I made him the Green Ranger, although I've taken a few more precautions. This time, no one will be able to break my spell!"

"Fine, Rita, you've got me. Just let Skull go. He's not part of this."

"Oh, but he is, Kimmie. You see, those are the precautions I was talking about. To cement the spell, I need the blood of a good man, freshly shed. Heart's blood," Rita leered.

Skull swallowed hard. "Ouch," he muttered. "No one's ever accused me of being a bleeding heart before."

Kimberly smiled slightly. Skull's wisecracks were simply his way of dealing with his fear, much like Rocky and Zack. All three made jokes to cover up their fear. "I won't let anything happen to you, Skull," she whispered.

"If you're thinking about morphing, Kimmie, don't bother," Rita smirked. "The crystal on the altar creates a field which keeps you from morphing near it. And don't even think about a last minute rescue. We're in the center of the Labyrinth of Chorida, in a dimension near Earth. No one can teleport in or out."

"Looks like we've got a problem," Skull sighed. "Look, the lady with the bad hair over there obviously believes that you still have some powers. Is she right?"

Kim nodded. "Yes, but I still can't morph with that crystal around."

"Not a problem. Just be ready to fight when I give the word, and be ready to morph when that crystal breaks."

"What?" Kimberly hissed.

Skull flashed her his cutest grin. "Trust me."

Kimberly sighed, but did as he asked.

Skull returned his gaze to Goldar as Rita began preparations for the spell. He didn't have much time to pull this off, because once those Tengas put the chains on Kimberly, any hope for his plan would be lost. Even so, he took the time to tune out all external distractions, focussing directly on Goldar.

The space monkey was larger and stronger that Skull, by a great amount, but Skull had one big advantage. Goldar thought he knew Skull. The time that Goldar and Rito had spent in his garage had given them a false impression. Like everybody else in Angel Grove, Goldar had underestimated Eugene Skullovitch.

Since becoming a detective, Skull had finally found something he loved doing, something that he wanted to do for the rest of his life. As a result, he had thrown himself into it wholeheartedly, learning everything he could about the profession. One thing he had learned was, while it wasn't as exciting as TV and books pretended, you still ran a rather high risk of getting punched in the face. That was why he had begun taking self-defense classes. Now, he had a pretty good idea of what he was capable of, and a very good idea of Goldar's abilities. If he hit him hard enough and fast enough, he might be able to take the goon by surprise long enough to get rid of that crystal so Kim could morph. Tensing himself, he whispered to Kim, "Now!" and threw himself at Goldar.

Even as he did so, Kim ripped into the Tengas, knocking them every which way as they attempted to close in on her. Flipping and kicking, she managed to keep the Tengas extremely confused, wishing mightily for her ninja powers as she did so.

Skull, meanwhile, had been lucky enough to take Goldar completely by surprise. A quick spin and a kick to the shins, and Skull had Goldar's sword in his own hands. "Mind if I borrow this, Goldie?" he asked, with a manic grin. Not waiting for an answer, he kicked Goldar in the stomach and headed for the altar.

Rita, realizing his goal, screamed, "He's heading for the crystal! Stop him!" Rito, who up until this moment had been watching from the sidelines, took this moment to become involved. Skull suddenly found a large walking skeleton standing between him and the altar. Rito raised his sword and attacked with a downward cut that Skull just managed to parry. Out of the corner of her eye, Kimberly saw the fight and realized with a shock that Skull obviously knew what he was doing. He handled Goldar's sword like a master.

Finally, with a sweeping side cut, Skull knocked Rito's sword out of his hands, sending the skeleton scrambling away. Leaping up onto the altar, Skull grinned down at his quarry. "FORE!" he yelled, sweeping the sword in a golf club-type arc. The crystal flew across the room and shattered against the wall in a flash of brilliant white light.

Even before the light had faded, Kimberly was springing into action. "Pink Ranger Power!" she called. Another light flashed, this one pink and the Pink Ranger stood ready, bow primed for action.

"Nice," Skull told her approvingly. "Let's get out of here."

"There's a door that way," she pointed. "If we can get out of the labyrinth, I can get us home."

"Then let's go." They ran for the door, a disarmed Goldar and a horde of Tengas on their heels.

* * *

Tommy was pacing around the Power Chamber, looking for all the world like the panther his Morphin Warrior uniform bore, when the alarm went off. "Damn it! What now?" he cried, stunning his friends with the savage tone in his voice.

"Rangers, observe the viewing globe. Lord Zedd has released the Dark Lady, his newest monster, on Angel Grove. She is in the shopping district creating quite a ruckus."

On the viewing globe, they could see a definitely female figure, dressed in a skin-tight version of a traditional ninja outfit. She wielded a katana like an expert, sending the citizens of Angel Grove running for their lives. "We have to stop her," Adam cried.

"But- what about Kim?" Tommy asked helplessly.

"We'll still be here, man," Jason told him. "If anyone can find her, Alpha can."

"I guess so," he sighed. "Right. It's Morphin Time!"

In a flash, the ten Zeo Rangers were in the shopping district, facing off with the Dark Lady. "Well, Power Rangers, how nice of you to come. I'll have to find something to keep you busy, won't I? Putties, attack!" A horde of Zedd's Putties materialized out of nowhere.

"Split up!" Red Ranger yelled. "Rocky, Trey, go left! Kat, Tanya, Adam, go right! You all take the Putties, I will handle the kunoichi here."

"You're welcome to try, Red Ranger," she laughed. Her voice brought him up short. Something was familiar there, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Shaking his head, he threw himself into the battle.

The Rangers fighting the Putties were doing marvellously, but no matter how many Putties they downed, more kept coming. "Man!" Blue Ranger puffed. "Zedd must be throwing his entire Putty army into this! I don't know how long we can keep this up!"

"As long as we have to," Gold Ranger replied, knocking two Putties into each other. Their Z-spots collided and the two disintegrated.

Meanwhile, Red was getting beaten badly by the Dark Lady. A side kick knocked him into a tree. With a foot-sweep, Dark Lady then knocked Red Ranger off of his feet. To his utter astonishment, she came and sat on his chest, trapping his arms against his sides. Reaching for his helmet, she chuckled throatily. "Let's get a better look at you, shall we, Red Ranger?" Popping the catches, she removed his helmet. Then she reached up and pulled off her own mask, shaking her hair so that it fell loose around her face. "Hello, Tommy."

"Kim?" The look on Tommy's face was totally shocked. "No, you can't be Kim. She's been kidnapped by Rita. Who are you?"

"I can be anything you want me to be," she whispered. "Lord Zedd will allow me to spare your life. Think of it, Tommy. Together, you and I can rule the galaxy. You will be next in line for Zedd's throne. And I will always be at your side. You can't deny you want it, Tommy. The darkness in your soul finds my offer very attractive. Certainly, you can't say that you don't want me"

"Yes, I can. You're pretty enough, I guess, but it's so cold. You don't have any of the life or warmth that made Kimberly so attractive to me. As for your offer, yeah, it's tempting, but not very. I don't want power, or control, and I certainly don't want to be a ruler. I've got my dark side, but it doesn't tend toward that. I'm happy with what I have, and you can't offer me anything more. Certainly not a pale copy of Kimberly. I don't even have those feelings for her anymore. Why on earth would I have them for you?"

Dark Lady's face became chillingly cold. "I would reconsider, if I were you, Red Ranger," she threatened, pulling a knife from her boot and resting it against his throat. "If you die, who will rescue your precious Kimberly from Rita?"

"My friends," he replied, looking her straight in the eye. "You can kill me, if you want, but it won't change anything. There will still be Power Rangers, and they will still fight Zedd without me."

"But you'll be dead," she reminded him, pressing the knife closer to his throat.

"So what? I came to terms with my own death a long time ago. It doesn't frighten me anymore. Go ahead and kill me. You don't frighten me any more, either."

"Very well." Dark Lady tilted his head back, baring his throat for the killing strike. Before she could send the blade home, though, she was knocked off Tommy by a blast of pink energy.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to mess with a Ranger unless you want to deal with all of them?" Pink Zeo asked.

"Let's take her together," Tommy remarked, putting his helmet back on.

"Right." The Rangers advanced on their target. Although she put up a good fight, Dark Lady was no match for the two incensed Rangers. Very quickly, she was destroyed.

"Tommy, are you okay?" Pink Zeo asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just worried about Kim." He stared at the sky. "I hope she's all right, wherever she is."

* * *

At that moment, Kimberly and Skull were hiding behind one of the rock walls of the Labyrinth, taking a much needed breather. They had ditched their pursuers for the time being, but Kimberly still had an arrow on her bow, and Skull held Goldar's sword at the ready.

"Skull, when on earth did you learn to use that thing?" Kimberly asked incredulously, nodding to the sword.

"This? Oh, my uncle is a world-class Olympic fencer. He's been giving me lessons since I was big enough to hold a foil. I thought fencing was really cool, so I started taking lessons in other types of swordplay. I'm at my best with a foil, but I can make shift with most other types of blades."

She shook her head. "Skull, you are just full of surprises." He chuckled in response. They were silent for a while, then Kimberly looked up at him again. "Skull, about what you said in the cell earlier."

He gestured dismissively. "Oh, forget about it, Kim."

"No. I don't want to forget about it, Skull. There's something I need to say to you. You are a wonderful, sweet person, and I've been stupid not to see it before this. I'm still healing from my break up with Tommy, and I've been really grateful to have your company, I really have. Skull, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm not in love with you." He looked the other way then, resignation in his eyes. Taking his chin in her hands, she turned his head so that he couldn't look away from her. "I'm not in love with you, Skull, but I think I'm getting there."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Yeah?"

"Mm-hmm. I already like you as more than a friend. I would like to see more of you, that's for sure."

"Well, would a date help? You, me, candlelight dinner for two at Chez Paul, a bottle of sparkling cider, it could be magic," he grinned at her.

"Yeah," she replied, smiling back.

"Yes!" Skull cried, pumping one fist. "If we get out of this alive, next Thursday?"

"Sure." Kimberly was suddenly conscious of how close their faces were, and how cute he was, and how unlikely it was that they were going to get out of this. Slowly, their heads moved together, their lips almost touching.

"There they are!" Goldar shouted, breaking the mood.

"Very bad timing," Skull grumbled, springing to his feet. Kimberly was up almost as quickly, firing arrows at the advancing Tengas, who then scrambled for any available cover.

"I want my sword back, Human," Goldar growled.

"Yeah? Then catch!" Skull cried, hurling the sword at Goldar. The blade flew end over end, tumbling like the world's biggest throwing knife. Goldar was forced to duck as the blade narrowly missed his head and ended up clunking several Tengas, who weren't so lucky.

"I can't believe that worked," Skull gaped in shock. "That's not supposed to be doable."

"You can complain about it later," Kimberly yelled, pulling on his arm. "Come on, the entrance is right out there!"

Snapping out of his daze, Skull followed her out into the sunshine, Rita's army hard on their heels. No sooner had they left the shadows of the Labyrinth, however, then Kimberly grabbed Skull's arm and teleported them both to the Power Chamber, leaving a very frustrated Goldar to curse them both soundly.

* * *

"Tommy!" Trini's voice cried from Red Ranger's communicator. "Kimberly's okay! She and Skull escaped from Rita and they're both here. He knows all about the Rangers, so we have a bit of a problem on our hands."

A crackle of energy behind him made Red Ranger turn slowly. "Um, Trini? It appears that we've got a bit of a problem here, too. Zedd's just showed up, and I don't think he's happy. We'll talk later. Tommy out."

"This is the last time you Power Pests ruin one of my monsters," Zedd bellowed. "This time, I will destroy you myself!"

"This is not good," Red Ranger remarked as the team regrouped behind him.

"Really, Sherlock?" Yellow Zeo asked innocently. "What was your first clue?"

"Power Rangers, try to destroy the staff!" called Red Ranger, remembering the last time he had fought Zedd. "That's his power source. Let's go!"

The Rangers charged, and the battle was on. Zedd quickly proved that he was a formidable fighter, throwing the Rangers back as quickly as they came at him. Realizing that they were outmatched, the Rangers called on their Power Weapons. Still, however, Zedd was too strong for them. One by one, he sent them flying back to land in little heaps on the ground.

The battle escalated as the Morphin Rangers teleported into battle, weapons at the ready. Kimberly tried her arrows, but Zedd deflected them with his staff. Moving in close, Jamie tried to hook the staff from his hands with a sword. He swept her off her feet, aiming the staff at her as she lay stunned on the ground. A lethal charge of white energy built up at its tip. Looking up at him, Jamie extended her hand. "Dad," she whispered, "don't."

Zedd's hand began to tremble, and at the last second, he pulled the staff away, sending the charge harmlessly up into the atmosphere.

Red Ranger saw his chance and moved in. The two fought for long minutes, until Red Ranger brought his sword down in a strong slice. Zedd, as Red Ranger had expected, blocked by raising his staff over his head. However, nothing could stop the Zeo V Power Sword, which had been forged from the heart of a falling meteor. It sheared through Zedd's staff like a knife through putty. There was a brilliant flash of light, and the staff was suddenly a snake lying on the ground.

The Rangers had not been ready for this, but luckily the Morphin Rangers had a solution. As the Zeo Rangers rapidly formed the Zeo Blaster, their half-powered comrades were already pooling their abilities. "We call on the power of all those combined!"

"Zeo Blaster, Fire!" the five main Rangers called, training their beam on the snake.

"Gold Ranger Power!" A beam of light left the Golden Power staff, focussing on the snake.

"Lightning Strike!" Jamie called. Bolts of lightning left the tip of her sword and struck the snake. The influx of power was too much for the snake to withstand, and it vanished in a bright flash.

Zedd had been forced to his knees by the loss of his power, and now, as the Rangers watched, he flickered, the demon part of him trying to maintain control over its human host.

"No, you will not win this easily," he told them, standing defiantly. "I am Lord Zedd, I cannot be defeated!"

He summoned his own sword and charged the Red Ranger, his desire to defeat the collected heroes overcoming his survival instinct. Red Zeo pulled his sword away from the Zeo Blaster in time to meet Zedd's blow, just as Jason's sword landed on the villain's metal exoskeleton. Jamie loosed another volley of lightning and this time without his staff, there was no where for Zedd to go.

"Power Down!" Tommy ordered. The Rangers responded quickly. "Zordon, we need the Zeo Crystal, now!"

The crystal appeared at his command and Tommy held it out towards Zedd. The villain looked up, not realising what the teen had in mind until he saw Tanya, Kat, Rocky and Adam place their hands on the crystal.

"The Zeo Crystal will purge all evil," Adam said, remembering what Zordon had told Tommy when he had gone to retrieve it from the Caves of Deception.

Tommy nodded and offered Jamie a quick smile. "How about we try and free your dad?"

"No, you cannot do this!" Zedd protested as they moved toward him. Possession of the Zeo Crystal would have meant unlimited power, but Zedd knew that evil could not touch it directly. Why else would Master Vile have used it to power the weapons of the captured Ninja Zords instead of using it himself?

"Forgive him his trespasses and deliver him from evil." Rocky could be heard whispering, changing the words of the prayer to suit.

"Amen," Tommy responded as the crystal made contact with Zedd's body.

It happened very quickly, the dark power of the demon was bombarded with the untainted energy of the Zeo Crystal. The power was surging, flushing the evil from the man, freeing Jamie's father and almost driving the demon that was Lord Zedd from his soul.

He had been forced to his knees by the cleansing, and now, as the Rangers watched, he flickered between the demon image they knew and the more natural form they had seen previously. A cloud of black mist rose up as the dark being was physically driven from its host. But the demon known as Zedd had been around for too long to simply succumb to the purification. He struggled against the inevitable, twisting his putrid essence and splitting himself from his poor victim's life force.

"This isn't over Rangers!" the wraith promised before being swept away by the wind.

Jamie stared at the place where a moment before Lord Zedd had been, stood her father. Tears ran freely down her face as she realised they had succeeded. Zedd by this time had fallen to his knees again, his body weakened by the loss of the evil magic that had been maintaining it.

"Oh, my God," Zedd choked. "What have I done?"

At a signal from their leader, the Rangers demorphed. Tommy walked over to the kneeling man and put his hand on his shoulder. "What you did, you had no control over. It's in the past. You can't change it; you have to live with it. What's important is what you do now," he said, remembering when he and Jason had played out this little scene, years ago.

"Red Ranger, for what I have done, can you forgive me?" Zedd asked, looking up at Tommy. The pain in his eyes was evident. Tommy smiled at the older man.

"Yes, I can. The others may have more trouble, but I understand. I have no grudge against you."

Accepting Tommy's offered hand, Zedd rose slowly to his feet. "Jamie," he started, crossing to his daughter. "I- know that I haven't been a very good father to you. I missed so much of your childhood, and I am sorrier than you will ever know. I realize that we cannot go back to what has been, but could we- maybe- start again? Could we try to be a family again, a family of some sort?"

Jamie stared at her father for a long moment, then threw her arms around him, bursting into tears as she did so. "I'd like that. Just so long as you friends alone."

Zedd chuckled. "I won't be any more protective than any other father, all right?"

"Deal," she sniffed, wiping her tears away.

"Would your mother- still be interested- in seeing me?" he asked hesitantly.

"She still wears your wedding ring," Jamie smiled. "Other than that, you'll have to ask her yourself."

Still keeping one arm around his daughter, Zedd turned to the rest of the Rangers. "Thank you for helping me."

"Don't mention it," Kat smiled. "It's our job to help people."

"I say we all go back to the Power Chamber," Adam suggested. "We can talk about this better there."

"Right," Tommy nodded. In a rainbow of coloured light, Zedd and the Rangers teleported out.

* * *

"Rangers, I am very proud of all of you. You came through this fight with flying colours, especially you, Tommy. Zedd, it is good to have you on the side of the Light once again."

Zedd smiled sadly. "It's good to be back. Listen, all of you. I'm not really Zedd anymore. I've really changed too much to go back to that. I'm just plain old Lawrence Zedden now."

"Mr. Zedden, you know of course, that with the demon exorcised, you will now age at an accelerated rate to make up for the time you kept the aging at bay."

Larry nodded. "I know, Zordon. Of course, accelerated for you and me is completely normal for Earth humans. I won't live too much longer than Leslie, and that's the way I like it. Now, my powers are gone, but I'm still a Zarakin, and I still have this." He pulled out his sword, brother blade to the one Jamie possessed. "If you ever need me, I'm more than willing to help you."

In a corner, Skull was still reeling from the events and revelations of the past few minutes, but he was absorbing it rather well. "So, what about me?" he asked casually. "Can someone drop me by my house, or am I walking home."

Kimberly grinned. "Skull, you know you can't tell anyone about us being the Power Rangers, right?"

"Of course. I'm a goof, but I'm not stupid. I always thought Bulk's ideas about unmasking the Power Rangers were silly anyway."

"Skull, you showed exemplary courage under fire today," Zordon rumbled. "You were extremely brave and kept your wits about you. We may need your help again. If we ask, will you give it?"

"Of course! In a heartbeat!"

"In that case," Billy grinned, bringing a pair of boxes out from behind a console. "This one's rainbow, this one's purple and white," he informed them, pulling out two communicators. The rainbow one went to Skull, and the purple and white one went to Larry.

"Billy, how did you know?" Trini exclaimed.

"I didn't," Billy shrugged. "It's just that we've given out so many of these things that I decided that I might as well get a jump-start on the next ones."

That brought a laugh from the assembled population. "Typical Billy," Zack chuckled.

"Who's up for a party at the Youth Center?" Jason asked.

"Yeah!" all the Rangers replied.

"You kids go on," Larry smiled. "I've got some catching up to do." He teleported out, and no one had any doubts as to where he was heading. Larry Zedden didn't have an easy task ahead of him. The Rangers exchanged amused looks and headed for the Youth Center.

* * *

"Pick a card, any card," Zack grinned.

Skull groaned. "Do I have to?"

"You wanted to be part of the group," Kim giggled. "You have to put up with this like the rest of us."

Skull sighed, but did as Zack asked.

"Okay, now don't tell me what it is. Is your card- the two of hearts?"

"As a matter of fact, it is. Kimberly, what's the matter?" Kim had an odd look on her face.

"Zack, let me see that deck," she asked. When Zack was less than forthcoming, she grabbed his wrist and pulled it towards her. He lost his grip on the cards and sprayed them all over the bar. More than half landed face up, allowing Kimberly to see that they were all the two of hearts.

"Zack, you jerk," Kimberly laughed, smacking him playfully.

"Gotcha," Zack managed to gasp, although he was laughing hard enough that tears were welling up in his eyes.

"Did I miss something here?" Skull asked.

"I kept picking the two of hearts this morning, before all this craziness started. Lillian said it symbolized the beginning of a love affair."

"Well, then," Skull smiled, picking up one of the cards and handing it to her. "I guess you could say that our romance was in the cards." He grinned at his own pun, and then hurriedly ducked Kimberly's swat. As the three teens cleaned up the cards spread around the bar, Kimberly marvelled at how things had fallen into place for all of them. ~Maybe there's something to those cards after all,~ she mused. ~Just maybe.~ Destiny was fine, but Kim wasn't going to trust it too far. ~This time, I know what I'm doing,~ she thought to herself, looking at Skull. ~Cards or no cards, We're going to come out on top.~

**The End **


	10. The Nyghtmayr of Halloween

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. All characters belonging to that show are the property of their respective copyright owners. No money is being made from this fanfic. Nyghtmayr is a hybrid of Ellen Brand's creation of the same name and Marvel Comic's Nightmare. The Horrors are from a Manga I saw. The Morphin Warrior concept, the Rangers' families and minor demons belong to Ellen Brand, Samhaine was a ghost in Ghostbusters and is also a holiday that takes place around the time of Halloween. Doctor Strange, and associated characters are the property of Marvel.

Author's Note: This story is based in the Conquest of Evil Universe. It can be read separately although it is recommended you read all stories for background information.

The Nyghmayr of Halloween

Most people live normal lives. They are born, grow up, go to school, graduate, perhaps go to college, perhaps not, get jobs, get married, have kids, die. Their lives are for the most part predictable and sometimes boring. They are remembered only by their loved ones and change the world only in little ways that no one notices. They're the lucky ones. They're the ones that don't know how cruel fate can be.

Then there are others, the poor innocents singled out to do so much more and to suffer the consequences they never asked for. Most often those who have been given a destiny - a fate - more likely than not wished they hadn't.

On Halloween most people get to enjoy the festivities, to trick-or-treat or just sit at home waiting for the next day to come. Even those required to fight the forces of evil on a nightly basis are able to relax on this night when the forces of darkness refuse to set foot in such a tacky setting. The native demons, vampires and other supernatural creatures took the night off, with the exception of a few of the newer one's who either hadn't found out yet or didn't care. They generally didn't last long.

Sadly, not all those destined to fight the forces of darkness enjoyed a peaceful night. While the supernatural tried to keep a low profile, there were those that did not feel the same way. The extraterrestrial demons like Lord Zedd that plagued the planet had no respect for Halloween; in England an evil wizard was not only active on this dark holiday, he planned a bloodbath to celebrate the occasion.

For those who stood in the way of such forces, Halloween was no guarantee of a peaceful night. This year would be no different. On the map of Angel Grove, there was a blind spot, an area so ripe with evil that at certain times of the year it prevented the Power Chamber's scanners from penetrating. It was a location so vile that villains like Rita and Zedd chose to avoid it. The sins committed on the land were numerous and had occurred over many decades, the most recent being a brutal shooting during the sixties. Angel Grove's authorities had covered it with a warehouse in the hopes of disguising the unhealthy ground, but a monument to evil was a monument to evil no matter how they tried to make it appear otherwise.

It was a place known to attract evil, and it had done so again; a new faction had surfaced after spending years in the background, keeping themselves hidden from view. This was a group of fanatics who had given their lives and those of their children in service to their demon. They were willing to give up everything in return for a little power. And for a place to practice their deadly arts, they had chosen the center point of the darkness, the oldest warehouse in the Abandoned Warehouse District had attracted a new evil.

From the outside the warehouse remained the same as it had been since its construction. Made of corrugated metal, which was stained with the washed away rust from its fixings. The windows were made of darkened glass and were secured from the outside by chicken wire. Some had fallen out with age, but they were a minority as the building seemed to defy gravity and time. Unlike the surrounding buildings, it lacked the abuse of youth; there was a lack of vandalism as if even the punks knew better than to touch the metal shell.

Inside it was another story. The dividing walls had been torn out to expose as much space as possible. An altar had been erected at the far end where the few beams of natural light entered. A large pit had been prepared in the center of the floor, the sides coated with metal to ensure the contents remained. Above the pit a gangway had been constructed and was joined to a makeshift room constructed from prefabricated crates. It was there for a single purpose: to hold the humans contained within until the time came for them to be dropped into the pit. Holes drilled in the base allowed blood and other fluids to drip into the pit several hours before it was needed.

Dark figures draped in thick woollen cloaks walked the length of the warehouse, mumbling words of prayer to direct the evil ground to aid in their ceremony. Others entered on occasion, depositing another captive they had managed to grab without suspicion and then leaving to find yet more sacrifices. At the altar one of their number stood, his words matching those of his brothers while his eyes focussed on the crate above. As he chanted, he inhaled the thick incense that added to the madness.

The little girl was terrified, no more than ten years old and alone in the darkness of the unlit room. There were others nearby, but they could hardly count as company, corpses were - hopefully - incapable of conversation. Her heart raced as she waited for someone to help her, knowing that to scream for help - to make any sound louder than her soft rapid breathing - would only bring them back all the sooner. And they scared her more than anything.

"Do not fear child," one had said as he had handed her a scrap of food, perhaps her final meal. "You will not suffer for too much longer, I promise."

She had believed him. Despite all the cruelty she had suffered and the knowledge that she would be brutally killed to give these men what they wanted, she desperately believed that he was being totally honest with her about this one small point. She was the last of those needed for the sacrifice and as such would be kept alive until the end.

* * *

Master Drumm, a former student of the Sorcerer Supreme was taking full advantage of the calm after the storm that surrounded recent events in his life.

He wore the illusion of elegant yet casual attire, his unruly hair covered the left side of his face with shadow, as he searched the wondrous aisles of his favourite used bookshop, "I Browse". This shop was surprisingly not a part of the Magical World and if asked neither the owner of the shop nor her current customer would claim to consider themselves as part of that community. It was too pretentious for their tastes, filled with those who defined magic to their beliefs and placed laws in place to limit others from proving them wrong; he had heard the declarations of what was considered dark magic and found them ludicrous and oppressive. However those who made such rules could not touch him for the moment.

The young woman, who had inherited the shop from her recently departed great-great-grandmother, was quite knowledgeable of the tomes that lay therein, having spent her entire life exploring the dimly lit corridors of this literary sanctuary.

Drumm knew that, like his former mentor's Sanctum Sanctorum, a mystic aura leant the perception that this shop's interior extended far beyond the architectural constraints of its exterior. He valued the shop as an excellent resource, and had cast several spells of protection about the place over the years to ensure that nothing untoward would happen to the Greenwich Village fixture. It was safer than many places in the magical world he often moved within during his life. Within its walls, he had bumped into the likes of Agatha Harkness, Doctor Druid, and Wanda Maximoff in past visits, all upstanding users of magic according to his mentor, Stephen Strange. He felt certain that there was more to the family that owned the shop than met the common eye.

"Aha! Here it is, Master Drumm! 'Tablets of the Nameless Pharaoh', Volume XX by the Rametu's court scribes. I knew I had seen this before!" The lovely young bookkeeper was in her mid-thirties, slim and petite, with brown eyes full of wonder and an endearing naivet regarding matters beyond her domain. Her hair was raven black, and her skin tone, though healthy, conveyed a lack of time spent in direct sunlight.

"Ah, Ms Craftswitch, your grand-dame would have been so proud. Thank you!" He smiled genuinely; partly for the thrill of success in finding the tome he had sought for hours, and partly at the profoundly pleasing lilt of the young woman's voice.

"Please Sir, call me Priscilla."

"Ahem! I am not far older than you, my dear. Sir makes me feel like my father." He laughed quietly, exhaling through his nostrils. Despite appearances he was only in his early thirties, though the greying goat beard he had grown over the last few months made it difficult to tell. "Please, call me Daniel, too. After so long I suppose, we should dispense with such formality."

Pricilla's lips parted to reveal a pearly white smile. "Very well Daniel." She looked away shyly for the briefest moment, then looked up again. "Daniel?"

Drumm had grown suddenly pale, his eyes widened in shock. "They wouldn't dare." He sounded outraged as he stared into emptiness. "Their foolish quest for power will doom us all."

"Master Drumm!" she repeated, growing concerned. "Are you all right? I can fetch Doctor Strange if you need help."

Drumm snapped out of his stupor. "No." he snapped, then continued less forcefully. "There is no need, I don't want his help. I am all right." He handed her back the book. "There is a disturbance in the fabric of reality that attracted my senses." He looked sheepish. "I never perfected the art of guarding my senses from such effects. Master Strange would be most displeased, if he cared."

There was some bitterness in his tone; his separation from his former mentor had not been on the most amiable grounds. Their disagreements had been growing more and more vocal in recent months and had almost ended in violence.

"You should tell Doctor Strange, he is the Supreme Sorcerer."

"He is also helpless in this matter for the rift has opened in one of the places where he is forbidden to intervene, but I am not."

It was true that when Doctor Stephen Strange had been named the Sorcerer Supreme there had been restrictions placed upon him, places where he was not allowed to use his powers. It had been deemed that there was a balance of power to be maintained between the forces of good and evil, and to maintain that balance, his ability to act had been curtailed. Now he could not intervene in events without higher permission.

Master Drumm had no such restrictions upon him save the implied warning his teacher had given him when he had become a student of the mystic arts. But then, he was nowhere near as powerful as his teacher, lacked the many wonderful artefacts that his master's status allowed him and as a younger man, lacked the experience of his one time role model.

Angel Grove, the source of the current disturbance was one such place where Stephen Strange was not allowed to tread. The events that took place there were deemed outside of his control. Most other sorcerers had been warned to stay outside of events in that place. Hunter however felt inclined to break the ruling, well aware of the consequences.

"Fools, they play with forces they cannot hope to understand. The Coin of Balaragos reveals their vile schemes."

His hair lifted, revealing a blue eyepiece covering his left pupil, summoned by the power of his coin. "They seek to unleash a demon, an abomination that feeds off the darkness found inside of mankind; a dire situation, made worse by the blood needed to summon him."

His eyes opened, a pained expression of indecision briefly gracing his features. "I must go immediately, evil can only triumph if I do nothing." His black levitation cloak, a gift from his former teacher floated to him at his command and he fastened it with the Peacock Pin, one of the select artefacts he had located from his chosen deity. They were as mysterious as they were old and he had only started to unlock their secrets; sadly he had yet to reach the level of power and knowledge necessary to control such artefacts to their fullest capability.

"Be careful Daniel," She said.

"Don't worry," he replied as he levitated from the ground, travelling through the roof of the building and toward Angel Grove. He wasn't trying to put her mind at rest, he just didn't want her concerns on his conscience.

* * *

Angel Grove

It had been an odd day for the Rangers of Earth. While there had not been any monster attacks or even a hint of trouble, there had been an uneasy feeling in the air. Then they had been contacted by Zordon and told that he would lose contact with the Earth for twelve hours due to solar activity. Even though the Rangers had learnt to function without Zordon, losing his wisdom and leadership made it all the more important for them to remain alert.

As the day progressed, Alpha had reported that the Power Chamber's computer had detected unusual energy disturbances that while unusual did not seem to suggest the start of an invasion. The shifting energy had led to strange sights, like Angel Grove Lake transforming into gelatine, which had been bizarre - and, according to Rocky, extremely tasty - while others like the reported stampede of animals from the forest had caused some concern. And when the animals at Angel Grove Zoo had started acting strangely, the Rangers had returned to the Power Chamber, seeking an explanation.

"All the activity has been surrounded by this energy reading," Adam told them as he retrieved a printout from the Power Chamber's slow but reliable Swift-9 printer.

"Magic?" Tommy asked.

"It's not Rita," Adam told them. "Nor is it one of Mondo's machines."

"How can you tell?" Rocky challenged.

In answer Alpha walked over to the computer and started fiddling with the controls. The systems responded to his command, replaying footage from around the world. "Using the computer, I was able to keep an eye on the Moon," he said proudly. "There had been no teleportation to Earth since yesterday."

"It could be a time-delayed spell," Adam said, "but I doubt it."

"Why don't we just pinpoint the source and go and investigate?" Rocky asked.

The others nodded, they couldn't think of a better alternative.

* * *

"This is it," Green Zeo said as they reached the warehouse. He was holding a small palm scanner that was heavily wired into the box on his back, allowing him to interrogate the device with a thought. "There's an intense build-up of a psychic residue, enough to aid a magical ceremony, if they have the right means of channelling it."

He didn't say more, most of the Rangers knew what he meant or could make a good guess. The building's past had left an imprint of psychic energy, which when used in the correct way could be almost as potent as magic. Blood was the key, blood and fear. Together those two elements added to the darkness of the site and allowed those involved in the ritual to open a doorway between realms.

"How do we stop them?" Blue Zeo asked, touching what he perceived as the perimeter of the building's dark aura. As he did so his suit seemed to fade, the non-magical powers failing to travel through the psychic field.

Rocky was a trained dream walker, able to provide spiritual healing to those that needed it. Such training while unneeded on a day to day basis, did have a habit of making itself known from time to time. Such as the acute sixth sense that told him to not to push any further; the buzzing in the back of his mind seemed to warn against entering the building at all.

"Your senses serve you well Blue Rangers," a voice said from behind.

The group turned rapidly, ready to fight, weapons poised. It was a sight that would make anyone with even a smidgen of good sense back up and reconsider their actions.

Drumm was not a normal man though and had seen many terrifying sights. His control over his outward appearance was such that if he had felt intimidated by their sudden and severe response, his body language showed no sign of it. Instead he remained floating before them in plain view, his hands were open and raised in a nonthreatening manner.

"I apologise if I startled you," he said, "I forget how startling my arrival can be. I mean you no harm Rangers, the Coin of Balaragos has found you to be pure of spirit." As he spoke a set of scales appeared, outlined as blue energy before him, a feather on one side and a representation of the Rangers on the other. The feather was the heavier, a judgement that suggested that by the standards of the deities he invoked, the Rangers were worthy.

"And who are you?" Blue Zeo asked.

"I am known as Master Drumm, Sorcerer of the Mystic Arts." It was true, despite their severe disagreements he had never formerly been dismissed from the order's service. "I am here to protect this world from threats outside of this dimension."

As he spoke, he noticed the Rangers tightening their grip on their weapons as if his words had convinced them that he was a threat. He thought over what he had said and what he knew about the Power Rangers, his senses - through the Coin of Balaragos - seeking out more knowledge. ~By the Hosts, they are but children. I sense the work of another sorcerer here, perhaps that is the reason for their distrust.~

"Forgive me my friends, I had not realised you had been in contact with the magical community. Of course you would show animosity toward me, though I swear I am a grand sorcerer; the only spirits I invoke are those on the side of the light."

The Rangers visibly relaxed. The Rangers had learnt a great deal about the different users of magic and what separated the wizard from the warlock, the sorcerer from the enchanter. One thing had been clear though, that sorcerers were considered dark while grand sorcerers were supposedly the epitome of light magic; his powers were drawn from the combination of mind, body and soul, along with the forces he invoked.

Seeing them relax, he continued. "I came here to offer my aid against those who seek to unleash a terrible threat upon this world to further their selfish goals."

The Rangers lowered their weapons and it was Trey who spoke. "Perhaps you had better start from the beginning."

"The Cult of Amuk is a secret society bent on bringing forth demons of unfathomable power, both natural and supernatural. They are descendants of a race that once worshipped this force, but since they found a new leader, greed has corrupted them. Now instead of freeing their master to serve him - a selfless desire that has always prevented them from generating the negative energy required to summon him, they believe they can turn him to their will. I suspect that not only will they fail to enslave him, but if freed it will destroy them and then the world."

"If we stop the ceremony then he cannot cross over, right?" Tanya asked suspiciously. She had a bad feeling about the answer.

"I fear that the ritual has already begun and has been going on for some hours. I only became aware of it when they finished gathering the energy and attempted to use it. Regardless of our actions now, something will cross over."

"Then we need to move quickly," Red Zeo proclaimed.

"Yes we must, but with caution," Drumm agreed. "Blue Ranger has already discovered that the imprint of this building can disable your powers. You cannot rely on their protection in there, so I will invoke the ancient power of Ordshum to strengthen them."

Then a white aura appeared around the six Rangers for a moment. Then it was gone.

"All right guys, let's go," Red Zeo said when the process was complete.

With renewed determination the six pushed their way into the building, failing to notice the sorcerer falter behind them. The power he had invoked was potent, but required a sacrifice on his part. While the spell protected them, he would feel a fraction of the pain that the spell blocked.

The Rangers abandoned any pretence at subtlety as they stormed the warehouse. In their minds the Cult of Amuk was as evil as Rita or the Machine Empire. By summoning a demon they were putting the world at risk, an act that made the Rangers consider them the enemy. They burst through the doors, weapons drawn and ready. They fired at the altar, the sacrifice pit and anything else that could aid the ceremony, not noticing when one of the black statues they had fired upon remained intact. They freed the lone surviving captive, a young girl who was catatonic from her treatment, preventing the final part of the ceremony from taking place.

"You are too late," the Order's high priest proclaimed when he spotted them. He was dressed in the style of a cardinal, his black beard trimmed to give him a more authoritative appearance.

One of the others continued on his leader's behalf, speaking with a German accent. "The power has been invoked, nothing can prevent his arrival."

A black pool opened where the altar had been, a portal linking the Earth Realm with that of the demon's home. The Rangers summoned the Zeo Cannon and fired, unsurprised when the blast had little effect on the dark void.

"You cannot stop it, Rangers," the priest laughed. "He shall come forth and then the power shall belong to the Cult of Amuk."

"Stay your hand!" Master Drumm commanded. "I invoke the Chains of Light, you will not finish your vile deeds."

A paper chain of white energy snaked toward the high priest and bound him securely, preventing him from using any magic. A useful trick, similar to one Doctor Strange utilised and once again lacking the power of the Sorcerer Supreme's techniques.

"No, the ceremony incantation is complete, the gateway is open. Something must come forth."

The priest's cries were ignored as Master Drumm joined the Rangers in trying to seal the portal.

"The Coin of Balaragos shall seal this rift," he proclaimed, pulling out a golden key, another of the mystic artefacts that formed his power and had caused him so much pain in the process. "No, it does not seal! The Coin of Balaragos cannot repair this breach, some power greater than my own prevents it."

"The building," Rocky realised, "it's feeding off the building's energy!"

"Gold Rush!" Trey cried, using the Golden Power Staff to hold back the darkness that wanted to pass through the magical gate.

Despite their effort a pool seemed to stretch outward, the tear between dimensions growing. Something was forcing its way through, but not from the place the Order had expected. This force was from a dimensional gap, using the ceremony for its own evil purposes. There were screams from the center of the warehouse as a dark swirling void opened beneath the Order members, swallowing them into the darkness as a black dragon-shaped shadow the size of a Saint Bernard emerged, snapping at the air.

"Who are you?" the priest demanded. This was not the demon he had prepared for, the one whom he had spent weeks researching methods of harnessing for the Cult of Amuk' purposes; this was not the seemingly minor entity he had planned to conjure while draining most of the psychic energy into his vessel.

"My name is not for the ears of mortals, you may call me Nyghtmayr, soon to be master of this world."

"By the Bonds of Histania, I command you to tell me your name!" the priest cried, panic evident on his face.

The shadowy form laughed at the absurdity of such an idea. "My power is not for taking mortal, especially by an impostor. Though you will make a tasty snack." The shadow extended, swallowing the priest leaving only a dark pool in its wake. "Did you really believe you could fool me? The Cult of Amuk was founded to worship Nyghtmayr long before they chose to worship elsewhere; this ceremony was doomed so that the way could be prepared for the coming of my Shadow Empire. And by imitating the High Priest, you removed the final safeguard."

"Zeo Pistols," Red Zeo called. "Fire!"

Their blasts went through the shadowy form, emerging on the far side.

"You should know better than that little shadow," Nyghtmayr proclaimed, causing Tommy to falter. "Yesssss, I remember the darkness within you, it will be interesting to feed on you when I have secured my hold on this world."

"Power Rangers, you must destroy him," Master Drumm declared. "He does not yet have the power to remain here!"

"Sssssssilence, sorcerer!" the shadowy form snapped; having fed upon the souls of the Order, it was strong enough to transform, taking on a more human appearance. "Even you are not immune to the power of your own dark emotions."

The shadow exploded outwards, engulfing the Rangers and their ally, consuming them with its dark powers and dragging them into itself. The assorted heroes fought back, but were soon swallowed by the black pool. The Head Priest sensed his opportunity and tried to make an exit.

"Going somewhere?" Nyghtmayr asked. Heavy chains emerged from the darkness, wrapping themselves around the escaping villain's arms and legs. "Not today, we have games to play with you, impostor."

As it spoke, the man's disguise was shaken loose, revealing the villain who called himself the Master. He had taken over the cult, hoping to use their beliefs to enhance his power.

"Come lowly one, there is a special hell waiting for you."

Screaming objections, the Master was dragged into the darkness.

"Yesss, already I can feel your powers feeding me, Rangers, let your powers become mine as my Horrors consume you. Fyar, Dowyt, Hatryd, Bytyrness and Despayr come forth."

Portions of the pool split away, forming bubbles of darkness that floated into the air and hovered there. Inside each sphere one of Nyghtmayr's minions attacked them psychically. The globes of dark energy solidified, forming cocoons of darkness.

"And you sorcerer, your cries shall herald the dawn of my new reign as you face the true power of Nyghtmayr."

~Foolish,~ Master Drumm admonished himself. ~So foolish; I should have realised this demon was psychic instead of being purely magical. How could I ask the Rangers to fight their own emotions when I myself have no hope of doing so?~

* * *

The minor demons that Nyghtmayr employed were as psychically gifted as their master, capable of creating illusions in the minds of its victims. They had split off, each choosing the Rangers in which they hoped to stir the dark emotions. Bytyrness had chosen Kat, converting her surrounding into a movie studio with the Pink Zeo Ranger strapped to a chair, her eyes drawn to the screen as random images of her time under Rita's spell played out.

There they were, Tommy and Kimberly. No matter how much Kat tried, Kimberly was there or at the forefront of his mind. She watched her, jealous that the petite girl had everything she wanted, needed. She saw herself mistreated by Rita and Zedd while Kimberly had everything she could ever want.

And then the images changed, showing Kat as the Pink Ranger, the screen splitting down the center so that she was always compared to her predecessor. Kat performed a good deed, Kimberly was pictured organising the charity event of the year; Kat and Tommy enjoyed a day together; Kim and Tommy were married with children.

"You were never the first choice, never the one who had everything. You don't belong in her colours, you are not the Ranger she was!"

The words were true; she was nothing compared to Kimberly.

"Why?" she asked rhetorically. "Why did I have to be Pink? I could never compete with Kimberly, sweet, pretty Kimberly. Tommy never loved me, he was always interested in her. Everyone prefers Kimberly. What do I matter?" she asked weakly before breaking down into sobs.

* * *

Dowyt was a powerful emotion, capable of bringing the greatest of warriors to a sudden halt. And the minor demon who had taken that name was an expert in manipulating the mind and showing his victims just what they wouldn't want to see. Adam was his selected target. Quiet, shy and sensitive, Adam was a perfect target. And even though he had overcome his doubts in the past, the demon was certain his efforts would prove more successful than Goldar had been.

Reaching into the boy's mind, Dowyt sought those key figures, the people that Adam valued the most; those whose opinions truly mattered to him. Drawing from memories and deep-rooted fears it fashioned the image of Adam's father, the bull headed man the Green Zeo Ranger had made his peace with months before and who was currently staring down at his son with disdain.

"Look at you Adam. I work hard to make Angel Grove safe and you're out their endangering lives with your antics. This is fantasy Adam, nothing more. You're not making a difference, you're just going to end up killing somebody. I'm very disappointed in you, Adam. I had hoped that you'd wind up doing something important, not running around in Spandex. Why do you think I spend so much time at work? I never wanted to be home with you."

"But-" Adam protested.

Now Dowyt was at his best, stirring the appropriate memories of the many nights when Trevor Park had not come home. Recollections of the father figure that had missed so many of the events that his eldest son held dear: the games, the birthday parties, and the many important tournaments that had come and gone during his life.

A tear slipped down Adam's cheek and Dowyt chittered coldly. It manipulated the boy's senses again, shifting from the loving parent to his loving girlfriend. Tanya appeared, dressed as she did when she had first arrived in Angel Grove, yet with the confidence she had developed over time. The message was clear for anyone to see: I never needed you, your help meant nothing to me. "You're so worthless, Adam," she said, looking down at the kneeling Ranger, her lip curled in contempt." She held out her hand, pushing him backwards before looping her arm around Shawn's waist and kissing him passionately. "At last, a real man instead of a wimp. You were never my prince charming, though the role of frog suits you."

Adam started to shake, his body reacting to the stress that plagued his mind. Dowyt was pleased to see the reactions, switching from the love of his girlfriend to his best friend, the man Adam trusted above all others to stay by his side through thick and thin. But when Rocky appeared, he slung his arm around Shawn's shoulder and stared down at Adam.

"You always were the weak one in our friendship Adam, always relying on me to help you, never capable of fighting your own battles. Aisha and I carried you during that Ninja Competition. We never needed you except the competition would only allow teams of three." Rocky laughed. "You're crying, you really thought I could be your friend? I only hung out with you all those years because I felt sorry for you and where did it get me? Shawn was right, I've got better friends now, who needs you?" Adam fell to his knees, as Dowyt continued to pull out false memories of his friends abandoning him one by one.

You always were the weak one Adam, if not for the need of numbers you would never have been a Ranger. Nobody wants you, your friends don't need you. You're nothing!"

~It's true,~ he thought despondently. ~I am worthless. Nobody wants me, and why should they? I'm nothing. No one.~

As his doubts consumed him, he sank to the ground, crying bitterly and Dowyt laughed, transferring the energy generated by the boy's inner turmoil to Nyghtmayr.

* * *

Rocky was an interesting case. That the normally calm and carefree youth could harbour such depths of despair? The minor demon of the same name drew eagerly upon the abundance of guilt and self-loathing, opening the scars created by Rocky's own nobility and conscience.

The illusion it created was of a hospital room in which lay the crippled form of Josie, surrounded by her wailing mother and distraught father.

"You promised no harm would come to my daughters," her father said accusingly. "Does this what you call keeping them safe? My daughter is critically ill because you abandoned them… I trusted you to protect my daughters, their blood is on your hands."

"Look at me!" Josie cried. "Look what you've done by dragging me into your fight. They say I might not walk or write again, I won't be able to feed myself; they're not even sure if I'll be able to keep breathing by myself!"

She gasped, desperately trying to catch her breath as the doctors closed in around her.

"See what you have done to my family, my precious daughters?" her mother asked, slapping him around the face. "How many others have you killed or injured Rocky? How many deaths are you responsible for?"

Despayr changed the scene. In place of the hospital bed was an open coffin. Jennifer sat up, her face blue despite the makeup applied by the funeral home.

"You promised we would be safe Rocky, you promised to protect me. Where were you when Minion blew me into that tube, where were you when he hurt my sister? You promised and then you didn't save me, Rocky," Jennifer hissed. "You failed, and I'm dead. It's all your fault, Rocky!"

And then he was cast into Angel Grove, forced to walk the streets and to look into the eyes of those who had died during the attacks on the city. They called out to him, telling him it was his fault while the villains that had killed them appeared to thank him for his failure.

"You're alone son, and a failure." This last image was what Despayr figured would push Rocky over the edge. The man the Blue Zeo Ranger missed so much, his own father, regarded him sadly. "You promised to take care of your mother, but you spend all your time gallivanting around with your Spandex-clad friends. Jennifer would be alive if you had not been out there risking your life. You failed her and everyone who cared about you. You let me down," the elder DeSantos said as he regarded his son disdainfully.

The followed the final blow as all illusions were removed and Rocky was left alone in the darkness. Quiet settled over him, and he realized that he was all alone. "Please, don't leave me," he sobbed. "Don't leave me alone. I'm so sorry!" He collapsed to the ground.

All those deaths, all your fault. You failed each and every one of them. Yet you live while they have to suffer or are dead. How many more must die Rocky before you see how truly hopeless you are?

Despayr had been right, seeing his father had been the thing to push Rocky over the edge and the Blue Zeo Ranger broke down. "I'm sorry! There's nothing I could do! Oh, God, I'm sorry!"

Despayr's laughter filled the darkness and was soon joined by Nyghtmayr's own wicked laugh as he fed upon the energy such negative emotions created.

* * *

There's nothing to fear but fear itself," Tanya kept saying as she walked through the darkness.

Her words echoed off of the nothingness, mocking her as she walked on. Images flashed before her, disjointed glimpses of the things that concerned her. They played continuously through her mind, the fear that her parents might die or worse forget about her totally. She saw Adam becoming best friends with Shawn and turning his back on her while her Shawn - who had dumped her so cruelly - He was standing there with his arm around his current girlfriend Veronica. The three of them had laughed at her before fading away. Fyar had finally found a fear it could wield efficiently.

"I want my powers back!"

Tanya looked up to see Billy standing before her, a look of pure determination on his face.

"It was a mistake to give them to you, I thought you could do a good job, but let's face it, Tanya, you don't belong here. You were just in the right place at the right time when Aisha needed a courier. I even felt sorry for you, which is why I let you have my crystal. I thought you would learn and get better or have the decency to return the powers to someone who could use them. I'm tired of waiting Tanya, you are no longer a Ranger."

"Billy, please," she begged.

It wasn't the thought of losing her powers that concerned her, it was the anger radiated by the former Blue Ranger that scared her. Had she really let him down that much? She had always feared she could not fill the shoes of her predecessors. But while she had accepted she would never be as good as Aisha, she had hoped to make Billy proud.

Billy was replaced by Zordon, his tube miraculously restored although she didn't ask how.

"Tanya, I am afraid this arrangement is not working. We had hoped you would make a valuable contribution to the Rangers and the people of Angel Grove. You have not done so. I am sending you back to Africa and will find someone else to take your place. I assure you that this is the last time I will use a courier when we need a hero."

"Face it Tanya," Shawn said, "this is a man's job."

She felt a pain in her chest as the Yellow Zeo power was taken from her and handed to Billy who had suddenly reappeared. The former Blue Ranger grinned and then frowned.

"This doesn't feel right anymore, you've tainted it," he told her.

"Let Veronica have it," Shawn suggested. "She's up to the job."

"Yes, Veronica has all the traits to make a suitable Ranger," Zordon said. "She is cunning and not afraid to break the rules. She will make a welcome addition to the team."

They all vanished, leaving Tanya with her thoughts.

You're nothing more to them than a charity case. Billy gave you the powers out of pity, not because he thought you deserved them. You are nothing!

Tanya never answered, she was too shocked as her worst fears came true.

Fyar chuckled as it felt the depths of Tanya's emotions. It laughed even harder as it exposed her to her fear of Aisha's reaction.

* * *

"I feel so honoured," Hatryd stated. "You have so much emotion within you, Tommy, any of my brothers could have fed from you; fear, bitterness, doubt or despair. Your memories yield them all in abundance, young Shadow. But I can feel the hate and anger within. Of all the dark emotions it is the strongest and the easiest to summon. I don't need to trick you into hating Tommy, you are consumed with hate."

An image of Rita appeared, laughing at him as she cast a spell to make him the Green Ranger. He saw Goldar mocking him as the Green Candle burned, Zedd as he repeatedly used the weakened Green Ranger against his team-mates. He saw Rito as the skeleton destroyed their powers not once, but on two occasions, robbing him of the chance to make amends for all he had done. Other villains followed, most notably Gasket who had turned him into a puppet of the Machine Empire.

This was so easy for Hatryd. He didn't even need to manipulate the thoughts to get a reaction. Just the sight of those he hated was enough to generate the psychic energy the minor demon wanted.

"You hate them so much for what they have done. You hate that they've taken away your friends, powers, any chance any you might have had at a normal life. They hunt you at every turn. You hate them, or do you?"

Tommy fought, perhaps the only Ranger who had put up some sort of resistance, but Hatryd was far older and much more experienced. The demon easily broke down the Ranger's mental blocks, delighting in the raw emotions that lay exposed.

"Look upon the one you hate the most," Hatryd hissed gleefully. The energy produced when Tommy obeyed was almost overwhelming.

What is there not to hate? It's all there: the weakness, the endangerment of friends. Nobody could love such a worthless being that doesn't even value itself. Do you really hate him?

"Yes," Tommy sobbed, "I hate myself!"

* * *

Outside of the cocoons, Nyghtmayr fed eagerly on the multitude of psychic energy the Rangers produced. Tommy was especially bountiful and the demon planned to set all his minor demons on the boy, once they were finished with their own victims. There again Trey was equally delicious in his own way. The Gold Ranger's fear of failing, or worse, turning out like Terr was an interesting train of thought to follow.

"Do you see sorcerer? All this pain and suffering is through you. If you had not involved yourself, none of this would have happened."

Master Drumm could no longer hear him, his mind lost in the suffering of not only himself, but of those around him. The emotions of the Rangers overwhelmed as his own bitterness was brought to the surface.

"He was right," he whispered, still too stubborn to break down. "Doctor Strange was right, My selfish actions did cause the deaths of those around me; the mystical Coin of Balaragos did bring nothing but harm and misery. How could I be so blind?"

"Yesss, give in to your emotions, all of you. The powers you generate will stabilise me on this night of darkness. And then, I shall truly feed upon this world."

But Master Drumm did not hear the commands or anything else. As his emotional turmoil reached its peak, his desires started to override his fear and regret. He wanted to make amends, needed to make things right. His spiritual self broke away from his body, seeking out help in his astral form. His one desire: to get help.

* * *

New York

Doctor Stephen Strange sat in his home meditating as he sought a greater understanding of the magic or magik as he referred to it. His body reflected the way he felt, old and haggard, a side effect of his recent encounter with the demigod Gozarius. The confrontation had taken him beyond his physical form and during the battle on a different plane, his body had been subjected to a cowardly attack. The side effects were diminishing daily, but it left him looking like a man in his fifties, which he was. He had a receding hairline of short hair and a small moustache.

As he tried to channel the forces at his command to heal his wounds, the amulet on his cloak, an artefact of great power started to shine, rousing the Sorcerer Supreme from his trance state.

"By the hosts!" he exclaimed, feeling a sudden disturbance. "So much suffering, who could have caused… this. My disciple, what have you gotten yourself into that could cause this?"

Through the bond of teacher and disciple, he felt the despair of Master Drumm and the emotions of those around him. For a moment he and his wayward student were one, all previous arguments forgotten as they shared the events that had occurred.

"Forgive me my student… I never believed that such a power… Yes, the all seeing Eye of Agamotto senses it too… a force of great evil has invaded this world. I must move to stop it."

With a thought he summoned his red levitation cloak, a gift from the previous Supreme Sorcerer and strapped it on. He flew towards the ceiling, phasing through the roof of his sanctum sanctorum.

* * *

Angel Grove

Ernie's annual Halloween party was in full swing and once again the portly owner of the Juice Bar had outdone himself. The whole building had been transformed into a haunted house complete with skeletons and pumpkins. As Monster Mash played in the background, Ernie skilfully dodged his way through the crowd, wearing his traditional vampire costume.

"Hey Ernie," Jason Scott, Red Morphin Ranger greeted, as the bar tender placed down the drinks he was carrying.

"Hey guys," Ernie replied, his eyes move around the tight-knit group of friends, all of whom were either Power Rangers or part of their small group of allies. His eyes lingered on Kimberly, Jason, Sam and their friend Jamie. Something was wrong, they hid it well, but he could tell from their body language that they were distracted. "Where are Tommy and the others?"

Ernie looked up as David Trueheart slipped into a seat between Zack and Billy giving him a knowing smile. The young man's mind was not on his brother's whereabouts, he was wondering where he could find a certain Katherine Hilliard.

"They had some business to take care of," Jason answered, gesturing to his left wrist.

Ernie nodded, curiosity replaced by mild worry.

"I'm sure they'll be here soon," Trini offered.

Ernie took the opportunity to move on, greeting other customers who were either regulars at the Juice Bar or one of his lesser businesses such as the Angel Grove Bowl. As he moved around, he never noticed the red cloaked figure shifting towards his favourite customers. If had, he probably would have commented that the older man looked right at home at a Halloween Party.

"Can we help you?" Aisha asked when the stranger approached. They had noticed him when he first entered the Youth Center although to his credit he had not been trying to hide his activity and had been openly looking for them.

Doctor Strange looked at them carefully, searching them for traces of magic. He found they had all been touched by the greater powers in one way or another. The girl, Jamie, had even managed to produce a sword from somewhere.

He cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable at the role he had been forced to adopt. "I am afraid Miss Campbell that it is I who needs to help you."

"How do you know her name?" Zack asked. The Rangers were growing nervous.

"My name is Stephen Strange and I know your names the same way that I knew where to find you." He opened his cloak slightly, lowering his voice. "My amulet allows me such knowledge and when I asked it to find me the Power Rangers, it led me here."

"We're not the Power Rangers," Zack said. After dealing with Bulk and Skull during their attempts to learn the Rangers' identity, denial came easily.

Doctor Strange smiled at him. "I have been told that the best lies are those founded on truth and you have proven it. You might not be the active team, but you are Rangers."

There was silence, the tension evident on the faces of the Rangers; Kimberly looked as if she had been caught sneaking out of her house late at night.

"I mean you no harm, but I do request you hear me out," Doctor Strange stated. "Will you agree?"

The Rangers nodded, wanting to believe that once they did so they could convince him he was wrong.

"Then let the Veiled Mists of Shou-ju-tere conceal us from prying eyes and ears!"

As he spoke, a thin vapour arose and surrounded their table, dampening the noise from outside and limiting their view, allowing the Sorcerer Supreme to return his to normal volume.

"My name, as I told you, is Stephen Strange, I am known as the Sorcerer Supreme. I have come to aid you in your future encounters with the demon Nyghtmayr." He held up a hand, preventing Zack's question. "Nyghtmayr is an extremely ancient demon summoned by those seeking to harness another demon. I fear your friends are in grave danger having succumbed to his mastery of the psychic powers."

"Nyghtmayr is a terrifying foe, a demon of extraordinary power with his own horde of minor demons; a psychic leech who cripples his enemies by attacking them through their emotions. His minor demons are each capable of drawing forth negative emotions and wielding them as skilfully as any weapon."

Now he had the Rangers' attention. They regarded him cautiously, the worry etched into their faces.

"My disciple, Master Drumm was with your friends when Nyghtmayr was unleashed. It is through the psychic link we share that I know your friends are alive, but in grave danger. Should they give up he will absorb their souls and their powers. Until he does so he is trapped in one place."

"So how do we stop him?" Jason asked.

"To defeat Nyghtmayr you must first make your way into his new domain and free your friends. The Zeo Rangers have the power to banish him if they have faith in themselves." He looked at the youths before him. "Each of you has a link to each of the Rangers be it as a friend, a predecessor, a comrade or as a brother."

"Let's do this!" Jason cried.

"I'm coming too," Jamie said.

"Then let us be off," Doctor Strange agreed after staring at the girl for some time. His body was suddenly alive with the raw power of what he called magik. His amulet glowed as he recited a spell of teleportation. "Arise, you sulphurous mists! Heed the power of Fear! Carry us now to The Realm Unreal - carry us to - the location of our foe!"

"That doesn't rhyme." Zack complained. The others ignored him.

And they were moving rapidly through time and space, shifting only a short distance in too short a time to measure. They appeared outside of the warehouse where the Rangers were being held, the black void having grown to surround the building.

"By the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth, he is stronger than I feared!" Doctor Strange exclaimed.

"How do we cross that?" Kimberly asked, referring to the violently shifting entry to Nyghtmayr's dimension on Earth.

"The magic within you will allow safe passage," Doctor Strange told them. "I shall remain here and attempt to stabilise the two dimensions to aid your progress; it will take all of my concentration to freeze the shifts between the interior and exterior of this building. Please Jamie, will you guard me while I surrender my consciousness to this task?"

At her nod, he started to mumble, preparing himself by lowering his defences.

"Let's get to work." Jason declared. "It's Morphin Time!"

"Green Ranger Power!"

"White Ranger Power!"

"Purple Ranger Power!"

"Blue Ranger Power!"

"Yellow Ranger Power!"

"Pink Ranger Power!"

"Black Ranger Power!"

"Red Ranger Power!"

As the eight Rangers morphed and Jamie moved into a guard position, the Sorcerer Supreme adopted a meditative position as he entered a trance like state. His body was levitated by the mystical energy at his command, his hands glowing with the bluish tinge of energy as he strained to push the Rangers into the warehouse.

"Good luck Rangers, this is as far as I am allowed to help you. I fear I have already done too much."

* * *

As the teens entered they were greeted with the sight of their friends bound in dark cocoons, only their heads visible and their helmets missing. Their eyes were closed and they appeared to be dreaming; from the screams they would occasionally issue it was clear that these were not pleasant dreams.

"Ssssso, more morsels have entered my domain," Nyghtmayr gloated. "You were foolish to come here when your friends have already fallen to my minor demons."

"Release them!" Jason shouted, angered at the sight of his friends displayed in such a manner, his already uncontrolled powers flaring in his rage.

"Or what?" the demon asked. His form was decidedly human now, solid and while grey he was at least not the deep shadow he had been upon release. His body was still out of proportion, his arms and legs looking too long for the rest of him. But with each passing second he grew more substantial and looked less ridiculous. "There is little you can do to harm me. I on the other hand can destroy your friends with a thought should you lift a hand against me."

The teens looked at each other, unsure about what to do. They couldn't risk their friends but they certainly couldn't allow Nyghtmayr to finish tormenting them.

"Return to me, my Horrors. Humans, I'll offer you an alternative," the demon stated, raising his hands. "If you can defeat me before your friends lose all hope I will return to my dimension. Should your friends give up before you defeat me, I shall feast upon your souls as well as theirs."

"How do we know we can trust you?" Zack asked.

"You don't," the demon replied. "But to show my confidence I will only use one emotion against you, the most potent of emotions; I shall use fear."

"We accept," Jason said firmly.

"Then prepare Rangers to face your darkest fears and remember, in this dimension everything is real."

A wave of darkness crashed down upon them, transferring them into Nyghtmayr's world of illusion and trickery.

* * *

Doctor Strange's astral body floated through the warehouse, seeking his teenage allies. He heard the offer made by the demon and Jason's brave if foolish acceptance.

"Do not interfere, sorcerer," he heard Nyghtmayr warn, appearing as a thin shadow in the doorway of the warehouse. "If you do so they will lose."

"I will not intervene in the Rangers' business," Doctor Strange replied, "but I will do all in my power to foil your plans."

He didn't dare to intervene in the teenagers' battle in case he somehow hurt them. Nyghtmayr's power was vast, even managing to block the sight of the All Seeing Eye of Agamotto. But just because he could not aid his allies, did not mean he couldn't give the demon other things to worry about.

* * *

Nyghtmayr had chosen the scenario he knew would break the Power Rangers Zeo. For heroes held in such wide regard, the prospect of defeat was a source of great fear. Nyghtmayr had linked their minds together, allowing the group illusion of failure to play out in their minds, each Ranger's own fears reinforcing those of his or her team-mates.

He had implanted memories of the battle against Minion that they had lost, resulting in their capture and torture at the hands of their enemy. They had been captives of Minion for almost two days and had been tortured for at least half that time.

Nyghtmayr concentrated, watching as their dreams took on a sinister edge. This was a situation where he could assume a part and direct the Rangers' emotions, his task made easier because the nightmares were based upon facts. He manipulated the senses of their minds, cloaking himself in Minion's body. Now he got to play the bad guy.

Minion stalked down the corridor of his fortress, licking his lips in anticipation of what he would find after just twenty four hours of the Rangers being subjected to his hospitality. He stopped outside the chamber and pressed his hand to the panel, waiting as the door opened mechanically. Magic would have achieved a similar effect, but it seemed some of the science nerd genes he had inherited from Billy remained in his system and he had decided to indulge them.

As he walked inside, he looked around and was pleased with what he saw; Katherine and Tanya had been removed from their various tortures and strapped to tables.

Minion wanted them to regain some strength before the torture resumed. Rocky had been left attached to the machine Minion had named the Twitcher.

Minion moved over and studied Rocky's face. For over twenty-four hours Rocky's left leg had been twitching relentlessly due to the stimulation provided by the machine. The constant movement was causing continuous discomfort, preventing the former Ranger from concentrating on anything but the pain.

He turned the device off, delighting in the look of relief that flashed across the Ranger's face.

"Shall I turn it back on, Rocky?" he asked, laughing at the fear in the teenager's eyes.

It was amazing how something so simple could have so much success. Minion allowed his hand to hover near the switch, watching as that caused the Ranger's eyes to shift constantly between his captor and the device. He wanted to stay and continue the process, but there were so many rangers and so little time.

* * *

"Order, order, silence in court!" The judge hammered his gavel on the bench, angered by the outbursts from the public gallery. Not that he seemed too surprised, this was a trial for a terrible crime he was presiding over. "Anymore outbursts and I'll clear the court; then nobody will see this criminal get her just desserts."

Trini Kwan looked around her, unused to such animosity. She knew that she was the defendant in this case, but was unaware of exactly what she had been accused. It seemed though that this was sham of a trial where even her own lawyer treated her with contempt and had told her in the first few minutes of the trial, he hoped she would hang.

"The witness may continue," the judge said.

"And then Trini went berserk," Zack told them. "She was screaming and moving her arms all over the place, she nearly killed all of us."

"And what happened then," the prosecutor asked.

"She killed him!" Zack answered, staring at his former team-mate with a look of absolute hatred. "Zordon never should have chosen her to be a Ranger. He must have known she'd end up a murderer."

Once again there were angry cries from the public gallery and the judge had to call several times for order. "I realise this is an outrageous crime, but will the court please wait until she is pronounced guilty before shouting."

"No further questions," the Prosecutor said.

"I have one question," the Defence Lawyer said. "Do you really believe that your former friend is indeed a cold-hearted murderer with no moral sense of right and wrong who could easily kill again?"

"Yes," Zack answered, staring at her with enough venom to make her squirm. "Trini's a control freak, last year she tried to force all the students in her year to sign virginity pacts."

Which you didn't sign yourself, a treacherous voice in the back of her head noted. Still holding out for Billy?

"And if she couldn't get her way?"

"Nobody dares to stand up to Trini after what she did. She killed an innocent man just because he wouldn't get out of her way. And worse still, she used her Ranger powers to do so."

"No further questions your honour," the lawyer sighed.

"You may go Mr Taylor," the Judge said.

"Um, do you mind if I join the others to see her get what's coming to her?" Zack asked.

The Judge nodded his consent.

"I have one last witness to call your honour," the Prosecutor, "although after hearing from Rita Repulsa and all of her team-mates, I fail to see the need. Call the victim!"

Green light coalesced in the witness box, eventually reforming itself into the alleged victim. Trini's eyes widened when she saw him and she understood that she was indeed guilty. This had been her fear since the day Rita had told her truth. Her sins had caught up with her and the Green Ranger she had killed during their first encounter with Rita's trump card was now standing in front of her, in full armour.

"It can't be," she whispered.

"Oh but it is Yellow Ranger," the Green Ranger answered. "I was there during that first battle and you killed me, remember? I do, I remember the pain as your Blade Blaster tore into me and Rita had to teleport me to safety. You never cared, never showed any remorse."

"I didn't know," Trini barely whispered.

"Ignorance is no excuse," the Green Ranger said sharply. "Even you know you were wrong. Admit it, Trini. You're a murderer."

"No!" her head snapped up, eyes blazing with calm conviction. "I am not a murderer. Yes, I killed the first Evil Green Ranger and ended an innocent's life because of my actions; I regret having to do that every day, but I was left with no option. I killed you because you were about to kill children! And while that may make me a murderer, I admit that if the situation arose again, I would do the same."

"The fact remains, I died," the Green Ranger commented flatly. Though there was an undertone in his voice Trini couldn't place.

"You had every opportunity to back down, to give me some other option. You enjoyed the killing of others while I would give my life to avoid it." She looked at the Judge. "Have I entered a plea?"

The Judge looked surprised, as if this was not a point he had considered. "You want to plead not guilty?"

"I plead guilty," she stated causing shouts to go out from the gallery. "Guilty of killing the first Evil Green Ranger, but not guilty of killing his alter-ego."

Green Ranger coughed. "Actually…" Trini glared at him. He sighed and waved a hand in dismissal. "Never mind…"

"I will not cheapen his memory by pretending that I am solely responsible for that death. That honour falls to the person who took an innocent and placed them under her spell and used them as a weapon against her foes. I may have killed him, but Rita murdered him. And I have no reason to fear justice, should it come."

She turned to look at the Judge, her eyes glowing yellow. "This ends, now!" Yellow light flared from her body, engulfing the area. When it cleared, Trini was gone, causing an uproar in the courthouse, which was somehow surviving without her. In the center of the chaos, Green Ranger crossed his arms, gazing at the place where Trini had been.

* * *

Next was Tanya. Minion had trapped her at the bottom of a long tube. Minion had sealed the sides, top and bottom of the tube so she only had a limited air supply. Then he had started to pump in a drop of water every thirty seconds. It was a slow torture. Tanya knew she could not escape and that eventually she would drown.

This was a special kind of fear, one that only a master like Nyghtmayr could control. The knowledge of what was to come, that she would indeed drown added to the terror as second by second more water was added. The noise, the sights and the very feel of the tube intensified the emotions she felt.

Tommy's torture was simple but effective. He had been tied with his hands above his head and had a Robo Trooper punching him at regular intervals. Each blow cracked his ribs causing him to scream in agony. But Minion had programmed the Robo Trooper to allow enough time between blows for the Ranger healing to take effect. For the Robo Trooper it meant a few seconds of action followed by long periods of waiting. For Tommy it meant constant and nearly unbearable pain.

Minion studied the boy's wounds and could tell the Ranger healing was starting to fail.

"Is it painful Tommy?" Minion asked.

Taking his finger, he traced the still bloodied wound, where the Robo Trooper had switched from fists to spiked blades. Soon if there was no let up Tommy would be crippled for the rest of his life. Minion nodded to the Robo Trooper to intensify his assault. If Tommy survived another day Minion decided, he would stop the torture. But, he doubted Tommy would live that long.

"When you become too weak to fight back Tommy, I will enjoy returning you to your rightful place as the Green Ranger. Then I will use you to cut down everyone you love until there is no way for the spell to be broken.

Tommy had no fear of physical harm, but the thought of being weakened to the extent where he could be put under the control of another once more terrified him. There was no doubt that Tommy's greatest fear was becoming evil once more.

And next to him Katherine was having a similar experience. But where Tommy's torture involved pain, Kat's was centerd around pleasure and humiliating her through it.

"Who's a good kitty then," Minion crooned as he ran his hand over Kat's restrained body. "You're a beast Kat, a monster waiting to lose control. And I promise I will help you to become a monster once more."

Finally Minion moved to where Adam was sitting, forced to watch the others suffer. Minion looked at the former Ranger and could see he was broken. Tears streaked down his face caused by the hopelessness of his situation.

"Would you like me to harm them further, Adam?" he asked.

The boy shook his head.

"I'll make a deal then. I'll kill one and save the others. But you have to choose which Ranger will die. Will it be your girlfriend or your best friend?"

Double fear for Adam. Not only did he have to choose between his friend and his girlfriend, something he always feared, but now he was responsible for the death of either one or all of his team-mates.

Five Rangers, all trapped within their own minds, facing their own fears. Now he would confront them with a terror he knew they could not overcome and they would be lost. And their friends would follow.

* * *

I'm old! Zack realised as he walked into the room. His skin had shrivelled like an old prune, his eyesight had grown poor and every move hurt due to arthritis. This was not the first time he had seen this nightmare and he already knew how to defeat it. Now he just needed to remember.

He looked around at his surroundings and found himself in a nursing home. He caught the attention of a young nurse who walked over to him.

"There you are Mr Taylor, we've all been worried about you. What with the monster alarms."

"You know me?" Zack asked, confused.

"Of course we do Mr Taylor," the nurse said cheerfully. "Don't you remember? The others brought you here when you fell ill."

"Others?"

"Yes Tommy and Jason. They were very concerned about you and told us you were once a Power Ranger." The nurse looked around to ensure nobody could overhear them. "Of course, apart from the director and myself nobody is aware of this small fact. Your secret is safe and I am sure the others will be able to save you once again."

"Thanks," Zack said as the nurse helped him sit. "Is Minion still on the loose then?"

"Of course not Mr Taylor. "The others dealt with him soon after they rescued Zordon. I don't think you need to worry about him again." As she spoke the nurse wheeled Zack around the nursing home towards his room. Normally Zack might have noticed that he had not been in a wheelchair when he sat down. Now, Zack was too scared to think straight.

Of all the things Zack had valued, his youth and ability to have fun had been one of them. His time as a Ranger had made him even more aware of how precious life was. Now it was gone. He was too old to help his friends, have fun or even remember what it had been like to do so.

"No, I can still help my friends," he said defiantly. "Age brings wisdom and experience. I do not need to fear old age."

Black light flared from his body, causing Nyghtmayr to flee.

Zack continued on his way.

* * *

Angel Grove High School had always been the place where Kimberly was the center of attention. She had many admirers who would watch her closely when she was in the hallways. Today though nobody seemed to be looking at her. In fact, most of the students were going out of their way to avoid looking at her.

"Not this again," Kimberly complained before falling into her expected role.

"Miss Hart," Mr Caplan called from down the hall. "Haven't you forgotten something?"

Seeing the blank look he received, the principal reached into his pocket and produced a brown paper bag. He handed it to Kimberly who looked at it questionably.

"For your head," Caplan explained. "Put it on."

"You must be joking," Kim retorted.

"Young Lady, put that bag over your head or you will be removed from the premises."

Kimberly looked at the bag again; thinking it was a prank and put it over her head. Around the corridor students sighed in relief.

"Thank you, Miss Hart," Caplan said. "You may go to your lessons now."

Kimberly did as she was told, leaving the lockers and heading to the girls' toilets where she could see what was on the bag. Once inside she looked in the mirror and was amazed to find it was nothing more than a bag.

"I tell you, if Mr Caplan hadn't stepped in with that bag I could have vomited."

Kimberly ducked into a cubicle as two of her classmates entered. One was Aisha and the other was Trini. They were talking about someone and for a moment Kimberly was tempted to join in. Until that was, she realised they were referring to her.

"I can't help feeling sorry for her," Trini said. "I mean if it hadn't been for that accident she would still have her looks."

"I know," Aisha replied. "I just can't bring myself to talk to her. Do you think she remembers what happened?"

"I doubt it," Trini replied. "Zordon made sure she had no recollection of the events that happened. Unfortunately it means we have to leave her alone or she might start to remember."

"It's just that she looks…"

Kimberly lost the rest of the conversation as Trini and Aisha left. Gingerly Kimberly walked outside and looked in the mirror. Taking a deep breath she lifted the bag, looked in the mirror and fainted.

I'm hideous, Kim thought as she regained consciousness. Her face was horribly disfigured and twisted. She began to wonder, what had happened to her that made her so ugly?

But you've always been ugly. Why else would Tommy have left you for Kat?

Kim knew it was true. Although she had written the letter, it had been as a precaution against Tommy dumping her. She knew Kat had been desperately trying to get her hands on Tommy since the day she arrived in Angel Grove. Kat was tall and blonde, while she was a short brunette. She seriously doubted had it come down to a choice that Tommy would have chosen Kat.

No, Kim thought. You left Tommy because you didn't want him be lonely.

Yeah right! You knew you'd lose him because you're nothing but an ugly, worthless piece of human excrement.

Kimberly sank to the floor as the words ate away at her. She knew they were true and nothing she could do would change that.

Crap! She thought. Come on Kim, you know that looks are not everything. And if you lost them trying to help the others, so what?

She started to think more clearly; suddenly realising this was one of her deepest fears and embarrassing fears. Embarrassing because it was so self-centerd. She had always been known for her looks and although a fine athlete, it would have been her face she was judged by.

"I am not ugly!" She said. "And if I am, then I am not going to let my looks rule my life. You lose Nyghtmayr; it will take more than an illusion to stop me."

* * *

"Hey David," Ernie greeted as the teen entered the Youth Center. "You're just in time for the ceremony."

"Ceremony?" David asked.

Looking around he could see that the place had been rearranged with all the seats pointing towards a podium. Looking around he saw the seats were packed with people he knew. When they saw him enter, they started clapping.

"I knew you could do it!" Zack told him enthusiastically.

"Affirmative," Billy agreed. "The resemblance is even more striking now."

"Guys please," Ernie interrupted, guiding David towards the podium. "We need to get this done."

"What's going on?" David asked, totally confused.

He looked at the pictures on the board, they were of him. There was the picture of him holding a championship trophy over his head, of him teaching with Jason and of the television commercial he had filmed for a Karate school.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Ernie began. "As you know, David has decided to adopt his brother's life, to become a copy of his brother. He's become a hero by helping the Rangers and now as the final step for him to become more like Tommy, he will be changing his name to Tommy."

There was widespread clapping in response to the announcement.

"But I don…"

He was cut off when Ernie handed him a red shirt and tied his head back in a ponytail.

"It started as a wish to help, but before long things went out of control," Ernie said. "How can David keep his normal life when he's been drawn into Tommy's world of monster fighting?"

How indeed, that was a question that had been plaguing David since he met his brother. He wanted to be part of his brother's life, but he didn't want to live it. His greatest fear was that once he started aiding the Rangers he would be drawn into doing so on a regular basis.

They won't leave you alone; you'll become just another Ranger. What about your father or your home? Do you really want to live like Tommy?

"But I'm not Tommy," he said. That was true. Tommy had been born destined to be the Green Ranger along with the pain that accompanied such a fate. He had suffered setback after setback and yet he hung in there regardless. There were many things about Tommy that he admired, traits he would not mind possessing. But that was the life he wanted for himself and it took many things to make a man.

"I'm David and it'll take more than a morpher to change that."

"Watch your mouth Ranger or you might end up like your brother, powerless and of no help to your friends."

"Tommy was never powerless, he just didn't know the power he possessed," David reasoned. "And even if I was stripped of my powers, I would help regardless."

Ernie and the other humans in the room vanished, replaced by a dark shape.

"You will be destroyed. Run, while you still can."

"I will fear no evil," David said forcefully as the darkness shot towards him.

"But would you fight it if you had the means?"

Where had that voice come from? It sounded disjointed and although sensing no malice, David felt himself shiver.

"Nyghtmayr has destroyed me," it continued and David felt a slight mental touch and knew he was speaking to the spirit of the Master Drumm that Doctor Strange had mentioned earlier. "I seek revenge, you seek to rescue your friends. Together we may accomplish both. Will you allow me to aid you, White Ranger?"

~Of course I do,~ David thought. ~I need to help the others.~

"I thought you would say that," Master Drumm said as his astral body, the only form in which he now existed and which would soon fade, appeared. He opened his hand, revealing his precious coin. "O Mystic Spirit of Balaragos, unite with this champion and let this demon feel the sting of the Light!"

Light flared from the astral coin bathing David in white light and was absorbed into his uniform. He could feel the power but didn't know what to do with it. Even as his fears evaporated and he was freed from Nyghtmayr's influence, the new powers told him what he needed to do.

"Metallic Armour, Power Up!"

Light radiated from his body, cutting through the shadows, obliterating them as he pressed on into the warehouse, seeking out his brother and their friends.

* * *

"Happy New Year!"

It was the dawn of the thirty-first century and Sam Revilo was miserable. He had lived for so long, condemned to eternal life and denied the sweet release of death. Memories flashed before him of countless friends, comrades and children dying before his eyes while he remained the same.

The illusion ended abruptly as white light filled the area, negating the illusions. Sam found David and the astral form of Master Drumm before him.

"Surely you cannot be afraid to live?" Master Drumm said. He pondered the question for a moment. "No, you are just afraid that you won't die. Allow me to defeat the demon for you by ending your fear. You will die, just like everybody else, regardless of the spells that brought you back to life."

"Thanks," Sam said, his fears gone and a sense of just how foolish he had been in the first place.

"We have to find the others," David said. "Time's running out."

Together they made their ways toward the cocoons.

* * *

The area was a wasteland, the animals dead and the village ruined. The people had been forced to move on because of an oversight. They had been so convinced that a young girl had solved their problems that they had failed to spot the virus that had swept through the area less than a month later.

It's gone, Aisha, all gone. You failed them all when you ran off instead completing your task.

"We trusted you," Ashala said, turning to look at the girl she had taken in. Then she faded away.

You left them when they needed you, abandoning them so you could prance around in Spandex.

"No!" she said forcefully, "The village functioned before I arrived and they will survive despite my leaving. I didn't make them successful, they did. And I won't allow my doubts to degrade them."

Nobody wants you, the Rangers were only too happy to see you go.

"Nobody forced me to go, Ashalla's village needed help and I was able to aid them."

You cannot succeed, you are doomed to failure.

Aisha's powers flared, causing the darkness to retreat. She didn't say a word as the light from her body was joined by white light, which eradicated the shadows. As they faded, she found herself reunited with Billy, Zack, Kimberly and Trini. Sam and David joined them moments later, leaving only Jason to join them.

"Hold on Tommy, just a little longer," Kimberly whispered.

* * *

Jason had not fallen foul of Nyghtmayr's illusions. Instead he had found himself battling the demon itself, a battle that he was rapidly losing. He had already reached his maximum power, burning his life force away as he lunged at the demon.

But Nyghtmayr was toying with him, using the Red Ranger's temper to draw him onward, knowing that sooner or later either Jason would fall or the Power Rangers would surrender.

"You're getting weaker Jason," Nyghtmayr stated. "Better to just give up."

"Or he could wait for his friends," Zack stated as the seven teens arrived.

"Ssso you avoided my illusions, you can join your friend in death. Or do you believe you can win?"

"Of course they do," Doctor Strange answered as his astral body appeared. "And belief is all they really need."

"I told you to remain out of this," Nyghtmayr threatened.

"Evil can only triumph where good men do nothing," Doctor Strange replied. He turned his attention to the teenagers. "Each of you has the power within your hearts to defeat Nyghtmayr. Allow that power to surface now, unite and banish this evil."

"It is too late, give in to the inevitable," Nyghtmayr urged.

"By warmth of heart, your pain I feel," the Sorcerer Supreme chanted, his palm pointing towards the Rangers, "Grant me the power your wounds to heal!" All doubts disappeared as their strength was renewed. "Now, finish it," the Sorcerer Supreme told them before returning to his physical form.

"We call on the power of all those combined -"

* * *

"Release them," Minion said, gesturing to the various devices the Rangers had been strapped to. It had been a week for them.

Bronzo did as he was told, throwing the Rangers to the ground at his master's feet. Minion waited for the Rangers to recover enough to hear his words.

"For the last few days I have tortured you all and enjoyed every moment of it. But now, I think to myself am I being fair? I've had many opportunities to kill you and I have not allowed any of you to take a single shot at me."

Reaching into subspace, he pulled out a collection of fully charged blasters. He threw them to the ground in front of the Rangers.

"For a count of six I will drop my defences and allow you to take as many shots at me as you wish. I should warn you one would be enough to kill me. Should you succeed you will be teleported back to Angel Grove."

He looked at the Rangers lying on the floor, each displaying various states of comprehension. Adam's face was a blank. The boy had withdrawn so far into himself Minion doubted anything would draw him out again. Tommy simply stared, his face filled with a mixture of fear and hatred.

"I can see you all need a little encouragement. Bronzo, pass me our guest."

Bronzo pushed a young boy towards Minion. They recognised him as Trey, suffering from his own nightmares. He squirmed in Bronzo's grip, glaring at Minion in defiance.

"Well here's the deal, when I reach six either you will have shot me or _little _Trey will be dead."

"No," Tommy begged. "Don't do it."

"One…" Adam stared stupidly at the weapon in front of him.

"Three…" Kat's fingers touched his blaster and stayed there, unmoving. She wondered suddenly why she'd put them there.

"Four…" Rocky tried to reason it out. He had the blaster in his hand; all he had to do was shoot. So why couldn't he?

"Five…" Tanya realised she was terrified, afraid of failing, afraid of dying.

"Si…"

Five blasts struck him in the chest, turning him as they collided with his chest. Minion staggered back and promptly reverted to his true form, the disguise dropped as the Rangers stood up.

"You will have to do better than this Nyghtmayr," Tanya said. "We've face this before and we learnt from it. We won't be scared into inaction. Losing a battle is not to be feared, it's to be avoided."

"Five of you cannot defeat me," Nyghtmayr stated. "I know your weaknesses."

"And so do we," Rocky countered. "We're a team and we look out for each other."

"And now we're going to make you pay," Kat promised.

"Besides," Trey said, suddenly reverting to normal. "There are six of us."

"Back to Action!" Tommy cried.

* * *

"… Red Ranger Power!" Jason called adding red energy to the mix.

The cocoons holding the Zeo Rangers in place chose that moment to burst open, releasing the Rangers they held captive.

"Zeo Cannon!" the Zeo Rangers called, firing their weapon as the Morphin Rangers unleashed their combined energy, which amplified the light from David.

Nyghtmayr tried to retaliate, refusing to be destroyed by the intense light. His body reverted to shadow as all the stolen energy had been depleted when the Rangers had broken free from his influence. Still the demon retained his grip on his new home, using the warehouse as an anchor.

"Foolish mortals, I cannot be vanquished."

"H-h-h-he's right," Jason said, sounding fearful. "Fall back!"

The others looked confused as they were dragged back towards the doorway.

"Yesss, runaway Rangers," Nyghtmayr urged as he tried to feed off their fear. "What is this?" There was no fear or confusion; they were faking.

"You don't think after facing ourselves that we'd fear a mere demon did you?" Tommy asked. "We needed to get outside of this warehouse before we could destroy you."

The shadows drew inward as Nyghtmayr laughed. "You cannot destroy me, we are on different planes."

"But the warehouse is in our dimension," Billy pointed out. "And you overlooked a vital part of our strategy."

When the Rangers had entered the warehouse, Jamie had remained behind to protect Doctor Strange. When he had returned from his mental expedition, Jamie had been released from her role as bodyguard, and had started to use her sword's power to weaken the structure of the warehouse; since he was not a part of the warehouse, but was simply using it to bolster himself, he hadn't even noticed the damage the female warrior had caused.

A dark shape descended from the sky as the Rangers joined their friend blasting the corrugated structure. When Trey summoned Pyramidas, the Rangers had continued to fire while Jamie had been teleported into the machine, allowing her to channel her sword's power through the Zord's weaponry.

"You forgot about Jamie," Jason told the demon.

"And that means you couldn't stop her from undermining the structural integrity of the structure," Billy added.

"Let's finish this!" Tommy cried. "Nyghtmayr, see you in Hell!"

"And now you will feel the power of Pyramidas," the Gold Ranger's voice declared.

"Lock on and fire!" all the Rangers called at the same time.

The bombardment was spectacular, demolishing not only the warehouse, but the corrupted ground beneath it. The firepower intensified, cleansing the area in a single strike.

The dark pool through which Nyghtmayr had appeared, sucked him back into the darker plane of reality that was his natural habitat. With a final protest the pool vanished, leaving the Rangers standing victorious.

* * *

Next Day

The Rangers and their allies were too tired to talk much that night and so arranged a meeting the next day with Morphin and Zeo Rangers, and the Sorcerer Supreme in attendance. After introducing their new ally to Zordon, who had been monitoring events on Earth, but had been unable to advise them, the group retired to Doctor Strange's mansion in New York for the discussion.

So it was that they were sitting on a variety of comfortable chairs discussing all aspects of their lives and the events of the previous night. The Zeo Ranger had apologised for the loss of Master Drumm, but Doctor Strange had reassured them that there was no need.

"Last night you all overcame the most difficult of foes, your own weaknesses. In comparison Nyghtmayr was a simple opponent. I congratulate you. I am certain that with the courage and intellect you displayed last night, it can only be a matter of time before all those that challenge you are vanquished. As for my apprentice, he is far from gone and perhaps in time he will find a way to return to this realm. I did."

"What about the Cult of Amuk, should we add them to our list of enemies?" Adam asked.

"No," Strange replied. "The impostor who led them to release Nyghtmayr is gone. If they wish to survive, they will first need to decide what they stand for. Maybe this experience will change them for the better. I doubt they will trouble Angel Grove again."

"Well, we had best be going," Rocky said, sensing the conversation had reached an end.

"Goodbye Rangers. In this world, nothing is certain but I feel our paths will cross again."

The Rangers waved and then teleported away, but not before they had had Strange's servant, Wong take a picture of the two teams and the Sorcerer Supreme united in the battle against evil.

* * *

After the Rangers had gone, Doctor Strange was able to assess the true cost of the previous night. After the defeat of Nyghtmayr he had been called to justify his actions and refute the charges that he had overstepped his boundaries. He had argued that his role as Sorcerer Supreme allowed him to interfere in times of crisis and they had allowed him to decide when such intervention was justified.

The argument had degenerated and he had been forced to use his position as leverage. In the end his actions had been deemed justified, but his ability to hold the conceptual beings of the Universe to ransom had caused them to strip him of some of his powers. Still the loss was entirely voluntary as they were unable to simply take his powers and had no way to force his compliance. He had been bound by his word and would remain bound only as long as he allowed himself to be.

So where did that leave him? He was still the Sorcerer Supreme, the threat of Nyghtmayr was gone and with Master Drumm lost he would need to seek out a replacement. An owl flew through the window and waited as he detached the letter it carried. He turned the envelope carefully noting the return address: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Only after the owl was on its way with his reply did he stop to think just how convenient its arrival had been. Still, he needed to find a new student and it had been a while since he had deigned to set foot in magical parts of Great Britain. Perhaps things had changed and he would find a suitable candidate. Either way it was a good place to start.

**End **


	11. Battling Insomnia

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. All characters belonging to that show are the property of their respective copyright owners. No money is being made from this fanfic. The basic storyline and parts of this chapter were created by Matt.

Author's Note: This story is based in the Conquest of Evil Universe.

Battling Insomnia

It was early in the morning and the Revilo household was quiet. There was no sign of life yet except for in one place - the kitchen. There, Sam Revilo, the house's only living occupant sat contemplating his future. The events of Halloween had changed his outlook on his existence. No longer did he believe himself doomed to live forever, but instead gifted with a second chance.

And for all their fears, the Zeo Rangers were recovering further every day after their encounter with Minion. Facing their fears in Nyghtmayr's deceptions had helped them considerably. They had even decided to remain Rangers until they graduated, giving both teams the opportunity to find and train replacements.

"One day at a time," Sam reminded himself as he conjured a cup of coffee. "Nobody knows what tomorrow might bring."

* * *

Sam was on watch duty when the alarm sounded; the Rangers had taken it in turns to remain in the Power Chamber with Alpha and Zordon. This allowed them to help decide which team or combination of Rangers should be used. He expected to hear Alpha shouting 'Ay-yi-yi', but the little robot was busy overhauling the Zeo Jet Cycles. He quickly switched the alarms off so nobody else would be alerted and checked up on the problem. As he watched the view screen, he saw a disgusting, green-clad knight.

He wasn't doing anything yet, nor did he need to. The scanners had been programmed to alert the Rangers as soon as anything happened.

"Zordon, call in the others," he said. "I'll go on ahead."

"Very well Sam," Zordon rumbled.

"It's Morphin Time!" he called. "Green Ranger Power!" As the energy transformed him, he hit the control on the console to make himself teleport away; Zordon had already set the coordinates of the monster into the teleporter.

* * *

Vartri stood waiting, he knew it wouldn't be long before the Rangers showed up. He was surprised when he just saw a flash of red energy approach. As Sam appeared, he laughed. "Just one Ranger. Are you trying to make this easy for me?"

"One Ranger's all it's gonna take to stop you!" Sam said, facing the monster.

"We'll see about that." Vartri grinned, showing off his rancid teeth.

"Aw man, you never heard of a toothbrush?" Sam asked, repulsed at the sight of them.

"Hey, no need to get personal!" Vartri said, unsheathing his sword, which was completely clean, unlike everything else on him. The blade of the sword was spotless and polished to a brilliant sheen.

"Oh, you wanna duel?" Sam asked as he summoned his own sword. "Dragon Blade!"

He charged forward and swung the blade towards the monster, which brought up his own sword up to block it. The two circled each other rapidly, attacking as soon as they noticed a gap in the other's defence, both managing to block most of the attacks, although every now and then, one of them managed to land a hit.

Vartri suddenly managed to pull away slightly and turned round, bringing his sword round fast. It struck into Sam's upper arm, cut straight through the protective suit and right into his flesh. He flinched slightly, but didn't let it bother him. Instead he just moved away, getting out of the knight's reach.

"I got it!" the monster called out. He held up the sword which now had Sam's blood trickling down one side of it. The sword teleported away, but Vartri stayed.

"Hey, you damaged my uniform! You're going to pay for that," Green Ranger warned. He held up the Dragon Sword and attacked, hoping to slice the monster to pieces. He was unfortunate though since Vartri somehow found the means to block the Ranger's attacks.

At that point the other Morphin Rangers made an appearance, battering the monster while David waited for his turn. At a shout from Jason, the White Ranger made a series of rapid slashes, generating a batch of energy arrows that hovered awaiting his command.

"Fire!"

The arrows raced toward the trapped monster, just as Aisha, Trini and Kimberly delivered the perfectly timed kicks needed to throw him into the path of the White Ranger's attack. Vartri screamed as the arrows tore into his hide, but somehow managed to hold on.

Billy took the initiative to attack, using his Power Lance to ruthlessly harass the monster before allowing Zack to use his shoulders as a launch platform; the Black Ranger brought the sharp edge of his Power Axe down onto the waiting monster's head, only to cleave through the hand the Vartri raised in defence.

Jason was quick on the uptake, jumping in to land two diagonal strikes, a quick horizontal slash and a vertical slash. He turned away, allowing Sam the opportunity to finish the fight. Sam did so, pouring a little of his power into the Dragon Blade, he made a series of rapid movements, creating a ball of green light. Then he thrust the point of the blade through the mass of energy and released the burning energy toward Vartri. The blast struck the monster and Vartri was blown apart.

"You wanted to face the whole team and that's what you got," Sam laughed as he sheaved his weapon and the team teleported back to the Power Chamber. As he went, he thought back on the battle. "Wonder what was with that sword disappearing?"

* * *

The Moon

Present Day

"It worked exactly as planned," he announced to the darkness. "Vartri was destroyed and the Rangers still live, but I have this."

He laughed, holding up a small vial containing a small amount of red liquid.

"Samoht Revilo's blood," he said in answered to an unspoken question. "Such a powerful substance to keep the body running, keeping it warm and allowing him to survive. In my hands this is so much more, it is a weapon."

He was a strange warrior, slightly demented from over using his skills. He looked human, but he had several weapons over himself and looked more than capable of using them.

"With this blood and my soldiers I can create warriors that can target him specifically. It takes some time for them to adapt to it, but once done the results are well worth the inconvenience."

* * *

Later that morning, the Power Chamber was busy. After the battle Sam had explained what had happened and Zordon had expressed concern when he had heard that the monster had drawn blood. From there he had set Alpha to work checking Sam for signs of illness while he consulted his archives on Vartri. By the time they were finished, Sam was desperate to rejoin his friends and grab something to eat.

Afternoon and evening passed, the night fell. Some of the Rangers had arranged to meet up for the evening, just talking or mucking about. Sam for his part returned to his home, deactivating the illusion spell for the evening. He couldn't wait to get to bed. He was falling asleep almost before he lay down.

He was just drifting off to sleep, when he heard someone say, "Come on Green Ranger, we're waiting for you!"

He sat up quickly and checked his communicator, it hadn't been activated and there was nobody else in the room. He was confused, especially since a quick look revealed that both the house and the street were empty.

"Alpha, this is Sam," he said into his communicator.

"Ay-yi-yi," the answer eventually came from Alpha, "What's wrong Sam? Why are you up this late?"

"Has anyone tried to contact me?" he asked.

"No, the communicator logs show no sign of activity since this morning." Alpha replied quickly. "Is there a problem?"

"No, I must have been dreaming. Sorry to bother you." he said, cutting the communicator signal. He took one more look round, then lay back down and closed his eyes. Mere seconds later he heard it again.

"Come to us!"

He shot up in his bed and looked round again.

"Who are you?" he asked, not knowing if whatever it was could hear him.

"You will find out soon enough, but you must come to us," the voice answered.

He thought for a moment, then stood up and said, "I'm on my way!" He morphed and teleported away. Teleporting without knowing the destination was risky, but the Green Ranger trusted that whomever it was speaking to him wanted him intact.

* * *

The Green Ranger landed on a dark plain. He couldn't see much of anything as it was so late and there was no moon. He looked round, hoping to see something, but there was nothing.

"Okay, show yourself, who are you?" he shouted.

"Who are we? We're your worst nightmare!" one voice called out.

"Are you sure you want us to show ourselves?" another voice asked.

"Of course!" Sam called back.

"Very well, so be it!" a third voice called, this one was the same voice he had heard before.

Suddenly, from some unknown source, the whole area was illuminated. Sam looked to where he had heard the voices and saw them. The first was a tall, human looking man in vague armour, carried an array of weapons. The second was a suit of armour, well part of it. It was the main body, waist, arms and head, but no legs. It just floated there holding a classic broad sword in his hand. The third looked like some kind of werewolf. It was covered in grey fur and held its clawed hands out in front of itself. Its snout was lined with glistening, razor-sharp white teeth.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Sam asked, as if he didn't already know.

"I am Brak, this is Ferrin," he said, pointing first to himself and the to the werewolf. Next he pointed to the third person, "and this is Phasm. We want only one thing. And that's you... dead!"

"And what makes you so sure you can succeed where so many others have failed?" Sam asked.

All three just laughed at him. "You'll see!" Brak said confidently.

"Stop talking and start fighting!" Sam snapped, eager to finish them and get back to his bed.

"Very well. Ferrin, attack." Brak ordered. In a split second, the wolf creature had pounced forward and landed next to the Green Ranger. He slashed his claws across Sam's chest, knocking him down to his knees despite the Green Ranger's shield preventing any real harm. He looked up at the monster that was about to strike again and acted on impulse. He swept his leg round and knocked Ferrin to the ground, then back flipped away.

"Man, I can't be bothered with this right now. Blade Blaster!" Sam called out, drawing the most basic weapon at his disposal. Immediately changing it to sword mode, he ran toward the monster, delivering a few blows before thrusting it through the werewolf's chest. The Green Ranger had always been a fierce and powerful fighter, he felt pleased that even with a simple weapon like the Blade Blaster he could hold his own. The creature howled in agony, then fell to the ground dead, slowly sliding off the end of the blade.

"One down, two to go!" Sam grinned as he looked over at the other two. "Who's next?"

"Phasm, go!" Brak said quite calmly, not even seeming bothered by the defeat of Ferrin. The armoured ghost flew towards, its sword held in a position to strike.

Sam saw it coming and decided that perhaps this opponent deserved something more forceful. "Dragon Blade!" he cried. The elongated version of his Dragon Dagger appeared at his command, just in time to block Phasm's strike. Instead of slicing into him, as it would have done before, it just sparked against his weapon, forcing him back and confirming that Phasm was capable of delivering a powerful downward strike. "That was a big mistake, buddy!" he growled as he quick-stepped another blow, causing Phasm to overreach.

He struck the Dragon Blade against the ghostly armour, but it had little effect. He tried again and still caused very little damage. Phasm lashed out at the Green Ranger, first a hard punch, followed through with a shoulder swipe from the sword. Sam fell but wasn't down. Normally in that situation, he would retaliate with a leg sweep to give him time to recover, but as Phasm had no legs, that was impossible. He rolled to the side, then backwards onto his feet and jumped away. He thrust his hands out in front of him, the palms pointing at the ghost warrior. Using his hands as a conduit for the Morphin energy, he fired a ball of fire that struck Phasm hard. The armour fell to the ground, disassembled and unmoving.

"So much for them two!" Sam called out, looking over at Brak.

"Now don't speak too soon!" Brak smiled cruelly.

"Wha..." Sam started, but he was struck from behind before he could even finish the word. He fell to the ground and instantly rolled over, looking up at his assailant. It was Phasm. He had been reassembled.

Brak watched impassively as the Ranger battled the empty suit. That was all it was, an old suit of armour that Brak had fitted with artificial intelligence.

"It takes more than that to defeat me!" Phasm said, his ghostly voice echoing about inside the armour.

"Really?" Sam asked. "Well I got plenty more to give. Let's see if you can take it! Dragon Blade, Energise!" At the Green Ranger's command his sword was transformed into a glowing column of energy. With a cry of rage he charged toward Phasm, slicing at him then turned and came back, attacking him again. Over and over he ran past, causing ever more damage to the ghostly warrior. Finally, he stopped. He turned to face Phasm, who was weakened, but not defeated.

"Siek-yah!" he cried, driving the point of the blade into the armour, causing the energised blade to explode with energy. As the dozens of energy flares struck him and exploded, they melted his armour away. Within seconds it became no more than a discoloured pile of slag on the ground.

"Okay, just you and me now!" Sam said, despite being worn out completely.

"Me, oh no Ranger, you haven't proven worthy of my notice. Besides, I have other things to do." Brak said, and disappeared.

"So much for those clowns!" Sam commented, before teleporting away himself.

* * *

Sam arrived back in his room, powered down. He got straight into bed and closed his eyes. He was almost asleep when he was disturbed again.

"GREEN RANGER!" he heard Brak shout.

Reluctantly, he opened his eyes and answered. "How are you talking to me?" he asked.

"That's not important. You will come to us now!" Brak ordered.

"Why, so you can challenge me and get so severely beaten that you have to run away in sheer terror?" Sam asked.

"Your overconfidence will be your undoing," Brak told him sagely. "But right now you have no choice. Either you come to us, or we'll come to you!" Brak said.

"I'd like to see you try." Sam laughed, reinforcing the protections he had placed around his home.

"Very well, I can see that a demonstration is in order," Brak said. He went silent and seconds later, Brak appeared in front of him. He pulled out a sword and swiped it towards Sam. He jumped out of the way and the weapon sliced into a pillow, releasing a cloud of feathers.

"Okay, I'm convinced!" Sam called out. Brak disappeared and Sam got to his feet. "Okay, I'm coming!" He morphed and teleported to wherever Brak had gone.

* * *

Sam appeared back in the mysteriously lit battleground. He looked around again and saw Brak standing with three more warriors. They all looked like humans dressed in tight fitting black Ninja suits and masks. The first had a red band tied round his forehead; it's ends flapping around his shoulders in the slight breeze. The second had a White band and the third had a Blue band.

"How did you do that?" Sam snapped at Brak. He was already tired from the last fight and didn't have the patience to be polite.

"That's my secret!" Brak smiled cruelly. "I'd like to introduce you to the Shadow Ninja's. They should present somewhat more of a challenge than Ferrin or Phasm did. NINJA'S ATTACK!"

The three black-clad warriors charged at the Green Ranger. The first flew at him with a punch, the second with a kick towards his head and the third followed through with a kick to the stomach. Sam blocked the punch, ducked the first kick and grabbed the last foot in his hands and spun the Ninja round. The White Ninja, whose foot Sam was holding, swung round in the air hitting Red and Blue to the ground. Next the Ranger let go of the White Shadow Ninja who landed between his two companions.

"Pathetic!" Sam commented, turning to their leader. "I've fought Tengas who could do better than that!"

Brak glared at him and grinned as he saw the three Ninjas getting to their feet behind him. Instantly, Sam brought out his Blade Blaster and fired two shots over one shoulder, then a third over his other. Each shot hit one of the Ninjas. "Come on. Attacking from behind. I thought they would have at least had honour!"

"Your confidence will be your undoing, Ranger!" Brak swore.

"Don't count on it." Sam said back. The Ninja's recovered from the shots sooner than expected, so Sam never even saw what hit him. He collapsed to the ground and felt a sharp pain in his back. He reached round and pulled something out. "AAAAARGH!" he shouted as he pulled it out. As he brought his hand round where he could see it, he saw a blood-covered shuriken.

He flipped up onto his feet and looked at the Shadow Ninja's who were back on their feet. "WHO THREW THAT?" Sam screamed at them. Surprisingly, Blue and White both pointed to Red. "Right, you'll pay for that!"

He threw the small spiked disc at the Red Shadow Ninja, but the Ninja had incredibly fast reflexes. Almost before the weapon had left Sam's hand, he had thrown two more of his own. The first struck Sam's out of the air, while the second cut into his chest. 'Man, how are these things getting through my suit?' he thought to himself, ignoring the pain as he removed the shuriken.

It was quickly becoming apparent that his Ranger uniform was not sufficient for the battle. But he remembered how Zordon and Alpha had developed the Metallic Armour to withstand greater impacts. When the Morphin Ranger powers had been recreated, Metallic Armour had been installed.

"Metallic Armour, Power Up!"

The center of his chest glowed, projecting light in front of him. As he watched, the light surrounded him to form a highly reflective armoured layer.

~Hopefully this should protect me from any more!~ he thought.

Using his Power enhanced muscles to throw himself forward, he flew forwards as the three Ninja's surrounded him. He let loose a round of punches and kicks onto each of them. They stepped backwards slightly from the impact, but the blows had little effect. All three of them simultaneously held their hands out at their sides and a long thin sword appeared in each one. They swung them forward, each using both their swords to attack the Ranger's mid-section. They were rewarded with a loud clang, but little else.

The Ninjas tried again, this time searching for weaknesses before landing their blows. Sam cried out as one managed to penetrate his armour. It seemed the armour increased the sensitivity of the nerves when damaged; he felt like he was going to be cut in half. Knowing that pausing to worry about the injury would just lead to further assault, he responded with a quick roundhouse kick, knocking them to the ground. They didn't take long to start getting up, but it gave Sam just enough time to bring out his Blade Blaster, now coated with the Metallic Armour.

He swung the bladed weapon at Blue Ninja and then shifted it to blaster mode and fired a shot at Red. Shadow Blue's swords broke as the armoured weapon sliced through them. Now he was just left holding two handles with about two inches of blade left on them. Red was once again temporarily knocked to the ground as Sam's blast struck him.

"Okay, now I finish this!" Sam called out. He jumped away and the three Ninjas regrouped. After holstering his Blade Blaster, Sam used his armour's reflective capability to blind the Ninjas.

Taking advantage of their blindness, he unleashed a ball of green fire, but only struck White and Blue as Red jumped out of the way. White and Blue were obliterated in the resulting energy blast, but Red was only knocked onto his back.

"Metallic Armour, deactivate!"

He liked the extra protection provided by the armour, found it useful in battle, but the truth was that using it was draining. So he was relieved when he transformed back into his standard uniform and the Dragon Blade appeared, ready for use. Without hesitation, Sam jumped to where Red was just getting back to his feet. Whilst in midair, the Dragon Blade began to glow. Green Ranger swiped his main weapon at the last remaining Shadow Ninja as he landed. He instantly fell to the ground, defeated.

Exhausted, Sam turned to face Brak, but he was already gone. "I'll get you Brak, I swear it!" Sam called out. "Okay, time to get back." He hit the teleporter's controls and teleported away in a beam of green energy.

* * *

Adam, Aisha, Rocky, Katarina and Tanya had met up for breakfast, deciding that they would grab a snack at the Youth Center before heading to school. When Sam walked in he was so tired that he failed to notice the concerned looks his friends gave him. He walked sleepily over to the counter, ordered something and then joined the others at their table.

"Geez, you look awful, man!" Rocky commented. "In fact you look like you've been stepped on by a Zord!"

"Yeah, I'm just not sleeping too well right now!" Sam answered.

They all carried on talking as they ate their breakfast and before long, they were all finished and ready to leave. Adam, Aisha, Rocky and Tanya headed to school while Katarina left for the academy where she would meet Christina. Sam, having nowhere to go, decided to head to Angel Grove Park, unaware that he was being watched.

* * *

"He is weakening. It will not be long before he is crushed!" Brak said confidently as he observed the Green Ranger. Using blood for scrying was a difficult art. "In this I have already surpassed the likes of Rita and Zedd. In all the direct assaults the Rangers have faced, all the knockdown drag-out fights, rarely have they been defeated unless it was against a being of almost godlike power. I don't have that power, but my tactics will prove correct. They may not be fast, but they are effective!"

* * *

A few hours later Sam walked into the Power Chamber and went over to Alpha. "Hey Alpha. Where's everybody else?" he asked, unable to find any of the other Rangers.

"Sam, they were all looking for you before. They've finished school for the day and decided to go and relax for a while. They told me to tell you to meet them as soon as you got back." Alpha said to him.

"Thanks Alpha. I'll see you later." Sam said, rushing off outside to see the others. He teleported to a secluded spot just outside the park and then headed straight for the area they all usually went to.

"Hey!" he said as he approached them.

"Hey, where have you been? We spent ages looking for you!" Tanya commented.

"Oh nowhere I just had to do something. Nothing important!" Sam answered. None of them asked any more. They knew that when Sam gave an answer like that, no amount of questioning would get any more answers out of him. "So what are we talking about then?" Sam asked, not wanting to stop the conversation.

"Oh, nothing important!" Kimberly smirked back. Everyone else started laughing.

"Oh you're real funny," Sam grinned.

"Hey enough of this. Who's up for doing something fun?" Rocky asked.

They all agreed except for Sam. "No it's okay," he said. "You guys just go on!"

"Hey come on Sam, don't be a sour puss," Skull urged.

Sam half-smiled, the former bully turned detective had a way of making him laugh. "Why not!" he said, not wanting them to think there was something wrong. They teleported back to the Power Chamber and made their way to the simulator, while Skull watched from outside.

"Okay guys," Adam said, taking charge of what was a mixed team morph. "It's Morphin Time!"

"Green Ranger Power!" Sam cried immediately.

"Pink Ranger Power!" Kimberly called.

"Purple Ranger Power!" Aisha added.

"Zeo Ranger II - Yellow!" Tanya called.

"Zeo Ranger III - Blue!" Rocky toned, glad that Katarina was still at the academy.

"Zeo Ranger IV - Green!" Adam finished.

They changed into their uniforms and started fighting against the preprogramed foot-soldiers, but within seconds of changing, Sam had doubled over in pain and let out an agonized moan.

"What's wrong?" Rocky asked quickly as they gathered around.

The pain started to go away, so Sam stood back up and thought quickly. "It's nothing, I just haven't been feeling too well. It's nothing really," he commented. "You guys carry on, I need to step outside for a minute." They all watched as the Green Ranger walked away, demorphing.

"Sam..." Aisha called out, starting to follow him.

"Let him go." Adam said, stopping her.

"But there's more to that than he's saying!" Aisha insisted.

"Yeah, but from what we know of Sam, do you think he'll open up if we push him?" Aisha shook her head. "Right, for now he's just best left alone."

"Then let's just get fighting I'm in the mood to beat some serious butt!" Rocky said enthusiastically. Morphing was the ultimate high for the Blue Zeo Ranger, especially when he was not required to save the world.

"I'm on Rocky's team!" the others called together. They knew facing Rocky when he was in the mood for fighting was slightly dangerous.

* * *

"Hey Sam. You all right?" Tommy asked as he and David sat beside the clone.

"I've been better!" Sam mumbled.

"Sorry, what was that?" Tommy asked, not quite hearing right.

"Nothing. I'm fine."

David just looked at him. His role as the White Ranger was strongly linked to healing and he had inherited a small amount of empathy. As such he could sense that something was wrong. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry about me," Sam grinned, forcing himself to put on a show. He wasn't sure why, but it seemed important to keep his friends from finding out about Brak.

"You don't look like you've been sleeping well," David said finally, but chose not to push further.

Sam sat there while the two brothers conversed, but eventually excused himself to go and find the others. He hadn't seen any of them yet since the incident earlier, and he thought they'd be worried about him by now.

It didn't take him long to find them. After their practice, they had headed for the Youth Center. They were walking in the door just as he was about to walk out.

"You all right now?" Rocky asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I told you, it was nothing!" Sam insisted.

"Glad to hear it." Rocky grinned as the youths made their way toward a table and ordered some food.

* * *

Rocky didn't know why he had followed Sam, but something had caused the Blue Zeo Ranger to worry; a few years of Rangering had taught him to trust his instincts. He caught up with Sam just outside his house. "Hey Sam, wait," he called out as he ran up to him.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Why does everyone keep asking that?" Sam complained.

"Maybe because we're concerned for you." Rocky said bluntly. "You're a part of the team, and we stick together. You might be two hundred years older, but you're still a friend."

"Okay, so what makes you think there's something wrong?" Sam asked.

"You've been acting really worn out, and for the past few days you've looked worse than I've ever seen you look!" Rocky said.

Sam just stared at the Blue Ranger. "You're pretty observant! I guess you're right; there is something wrong, but I don't want to talk about it right now. I should be sorting it out pretty soon anyway, so don't worry about it!"

"Are you sure?" Rocky asked, not quite believing that he would sort it out himself.

"Yeah I'm sure, now thanks for the concern, but I've got things to do." Sam said as he turned and walked up the path.

Rocky was left standing there alone in the street, so he just decided to go home.

* * *

That night, it wasn't too late before Sam decided to go to bed. He knew what he expected to happen, but he felt it was best to get it out of the way sooner rather than later. No sooner had he started to drift off to sleep when it happened again.

"Wake up Green Ranger!" Brak said loudly.

He opened his eyes and said tiredly, "Usual place?"

"Of course!" Brak said, "And hurry up."

"Green Ranger Power!" he called out as he got up. Instead of teleporting straight away as he usually did, he waited for a moment. Once again, as soon as he was morphed, he felt an incredible pain rush through his entire body and he started to feel sick. A few moments later, he started to feel better, so he teleported away.

Reappearing in the usual area, he looked round to see what monsters Brak had brought with him this time. He had a large bird-like humanoid monster at one side of him and a mechanoid that looked a lot like the Terminator to the other.

"Let's get it over with!" Sam said. "Who's first?"

"That would be me!" the bird-like creature said. It jumped into the air and swung an arm in the Green Ranger's direction. A barrage of feathers shot from his arm, several striking directly, the rest exploding the area around him. It followed through with another dozen or so of them. As the second flurry of feathers approached, the Green Ranger pulled out the Dragon Blade and struck them from the air.

"Nice try, bird brain!" Sam called out. "But you'll have to do better than that!"

"Better? Oh I can do better!" the bird called back. From its position, hovering in the air, it swept down and attacked Sam, then flew back into the air. It was back down again, attacking and back into the air before Sam had even stopped reeling from the first. Sam tried to strike the creature with his weapon as it came for a third pass, but it was much too fast for him.

~Can't match him for speed, maybe what I need is power!~ Sam thought to himself.

"Green Nova Bolt!" he called out, going straight for one of his strongest attacks. He fired at the flying creature. It had flown round him and attacked him in the back before the shot could even reach him. Sam tried again as he turned to face the creature.

Once again, it was behind the Ranger as he fired. Sam started to concoct a plan. He looked round at Brak and the robot warrior, then at the bird creature. He turned his back to the robot warrior. "Dragon Flame!" he shouted, then turned to face the mechanoid. As expected, the bird flew down to attack him, but accidentally flew right into Sam's trap. As the Green Ranger fired, the powerful shots obliterated the bird and carried straight on to hit the robot. Both monsters were instantly destroyed.

"Hey," Sam grinned. "Two birds with one stone!"

"Very clever, Green Ranger." Brak said. He watched the Ranger, who now just stood there, waiting. "What are you waiting for?"

"I'm waiting for your next monsters." Sam said. "Not much point in me going home, just to be called back here two minutes later, is there!"

"Nice try, Ranger!" Brak grinned at the Green Ranger's ingenuity. He teleported away.

"Guess I win." Sam said. "I hope that's it!" He hit the teleporter control and disappeared in a flash of white energy.

As he got back to his quarters, he waited ten minutes before trying to sleep again. If Brak were going to continue, he'd do it straight away. When no further invitations to fight came, he lay down on his bed and closed his eyes.

* * *

When Sam awoke the next morning he knew it was going to be a bad day. He felt awful, the pain he had experienced just after morphing was now present even when he was in civilian form. He rolled over and tried to go back to sleep only to be disturbed by the doorbell. He sighed when he realised he had been about to morph and teleport away when he realized it wasn't Brak that had awoken him, it was the door. It seemed recent events were getting to him more than he had thought. He walked to the door and opened it, by which time his Mom had already shown his guest upstairs; he had obviously been exhausted if he had forgotten to cancel the illusion charms. He had expected Rocky, so he was a little surprised to discover it was Zack.

"Tommy and the others had to go fight a giant egg whisk," the Black Ranger told him as if that explained everything. Surprisingly, it did.

"So, what can I do for you?" Sam asked, putting as much energy into the greeting as he could manage, but between the battles, lack of sleep and events of the past few days, that was very little.

"Somebody asked me to check up on you," Zack told him. "Actually, seven people asked me to check up on you."

"Really. It's okay. I..." Sam started, but halfway through he was cut off by Brak.

"COME OUT GREEN RANGER!"

"Sam, are you all right?" Zack asked.

"Yeah. Sorry, I was just saying..."

"I'M WAITING RANGER!" Brak shouted, starting to get impatient.

"I need to go out for a bit Zack," Sam said quickly.

"Hey, slow down man, what's wrong?" Zack asked.

"OKAY, LOOKS LIKE I'M COMING IN!" Brak said. A second later, Brak appeared in front of the Green and Black Rangers.

"Who are you?" Zack demanded. He took in Sam's apprehension and asked, "not a friend of yours, huh?"

"He's Brak. Get out of here. I'll deal with him." Sam shouted.

"No way. We're a team that means we fight as a team!" Zack told him. "It's Morphin Time! Black Ranger Power!"

"Green Ranger Power!"

The two of the transformed, and again, Sam felt the pain. It was much worse this time. He collapsed to the floor, holding his stomach and head where the pain seemed worst.

"Sam, what's wrong?" Zack asked, kneeling down by him.

"Oh this is too easy!" Brak grinned. He stepped forward and sliced at Zack's back with his sword.

The Black Ranger screamed, but turned round, bringing out his Power Axe. He swiped it at Brak, but it just passed straight through him. Brak stepped forward again, striking at both the Rangers. Sam, who was still down from the pain of transforming, just took even more damage. Zack collapsed beside him as he took the strong hit.

"Next time, Green Ranger, you will come when I call, otherwise your little friend here won't be around much longer." Brak said. He walked over and picked up the now demorphed Black Ranger and teleported away.

"Zack!" Sam shouted.

Seconds later five bursts of light heralded the arrival of Jason, Kimberly, Trini, Aisha and Billy; David had been needed to help Alpha.

"Sam, what's going on?" Jason asked.

Sam stood up and demorphed. His house was a mess, but the illusion charms had held, making it appear that nothing was wrong.

"Brak took Zack." Sam said quickly.

"What? Who's Brak?" Kimberly asked.

"No time to explain. We have to get to the Power Chamber." Sam said before teleporting. They followed him and appeared in time to hear him shouting. "Alpha, Zordon, we need you!"

"I am already here Sam," Zordon replied calmly. "What is the problem?"

"Zack's been taken by Brak!" Sam said.

"When did this happen?" Zordon asked, alarmed by the news.

"About a minute ago. He appeared and attacked us, but I couldn't help him. He beat us and he took him!" Sam reported.

"From the way you're talking, it sounds like you already knew Brak!" Jason commented, his voice hardening. "What's going on Sam?"

"And Sam," Tommy continued as he entered from another chamber, "tell us everything!"

Sam stood and explained everything that had gone on, from Vartri's first attack, right through to the events that had just taken place, although he still didn't mention the pain from when he morphed.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Rocky asked. The Zeo Rangers had joined the others.

"I don't know. I wanted to, but something stopped me."

"Alpha, perform a scan of Sam's brainwaves," Zordon instructed.

Trini and Billy moved over to help. It was the Blue Ranger who succeeded. "I am detecting an external stimuli," he told the other.

"Vartri's sword no doubt contained a poison that would compel Sam to act alone," Zordon guessed. "I applaud you for having the strength to even explain events under these circumstances. But remember, asking for help isn't a sign of weakness!"

"Yeah, I know." Sam replied. A black aura appeared for a moment and then disappeared, signalling the end of the compulsion.

"So, how are we going to rescue Zack? Do we even know where he is?" Aisha asked.

"I think I know where he is, but I can't go there until Brak calls me. I just concentrate on him and I can teleport there." Sam said.

"So we just have to wait for him to contact you?" Trini asked.

"Yeah. Once I teleport, I need you to keep a lock on me and you can all follow. It shouldn't be long now, he doesn't usually give much time to rest between attacks." Sam commented. "I think we should morph now."

"Tommy and the Zeo Rangers should remain here in case you need backup," Alpha told them.

"Okay, It's Morphin Time!" Jason called out.

Sam hesitated for a moment, then held out his morpher and called, "Green Ranger Power!" He braced himself for what he knew was coming. He tried to hide it, but the intense pain was too much for him. "Aaaargh!" he called out as he fell to his knees. The others rushed to his side and steadied him. This time the pain didn't subside. It just stayed, eating away at him.

"Rangers, quickly, get Sam onto the bio-bed." Zordon ordered. They lifted him up and laid him down on the medical bed. Zordon immediately initiated several scans. "Hmmm!" he mumbled.

"What is it, Zordon?" Trini asked.

"He is suffering from power poisoning!" Zordon commented.

"What's that?" Tanya asked.

"It happens when the powers are used continually without allowing the body to rest. I suspect it was Brak's plan all along. He needs to rest before he exerts himself any more." Zordon reported.

"I'M WAITING FOR YOU, GREEN RANGER!" Brak called, interrupting.

Sam sat up and said, "We have to go. Brak is waiting for me!"

"By going, you put your own life at risk!" Zordon commented.

"But I don't have a choice," Sam said back. "I'm the only one who can fight him. Zack tried, but couldn't touch him."

"It appears Brak is using the blood he stole to target his attacks. Only the person who has the correct blood can hurt him or his monsters."

"I can think of one course of action that would eliminate that advantage," Billy said.

When the others looked at him, he explained. Seconds later the Green Ranger was teleported into battle. As soon as the location was set, the others all followed.

* * *

Green appeared in the dark area once again and looked round for Bark and Zack. He was there, stood facing him. To his side, de morphed and tied up, was the Black Ranger.

"Let her go. This is between you and me!" Green Ranger called out.

"Oh I wouldn't say that!" Bark grinned as several monsters appeared. "Looks like it's six on one!"

"Oh I wouldn't say that!" Green Ranger said back, mocking Brak's words as the Pink, Yellow, Blue, White, Red and Purple Rangers appeared. "Six on six. Seems fair to me!"

Brak sniggered. "We'll see!"

The Rangers didn't hesitate for even a second. They rushed forwards, bringing out their weapons. Each one attacked one of the monsters, Green Ranger taking on Brak himself. It didn't take long for the Rangers to realize why Brak had been so confident. Their weapons passed straight through the monsters, having no effect at all.

Now came the monsters' turn. They struck at the Rangers and had no trouble at all in attacking them. The powerful monsters threw around the Rangers. Again they tried to attack, but had no success.

Green Ranger had apparently failed to notice what was happening to the others. He was too busy fighting with Brak. He was actually able to hit him, but he wasn't doing too well. Evidently the pain from the power poisoning was slowing him greatly.

Green Ranger was knocked aside as the Red Ranger was thrown into him. They both struggled back to their feet and went over to join the others who had regrouped.

"Okay everyone. Blade Blasters!" Green Ranger ordered. They all brought out the weapons and aimed at Brak. "Fire!"

They all shot, but it was only Green Ranger that managed to make contact. The shots from the other weapons just passed straight through him.

"What's going on?" Jason asked. "Sam, why are you the only one who can hit them?"

"I don't know. You guys get out of here. It's up to me!" Green Ranger said.

"No way. We're in this together." Trini insisted.

"Yeah, but if you can't even hit them, what good can you do?" Green Ranger asked.

"We can still rescue Zack." Billy commented.

"Okay. I'll try and keep them busy. You guys get to Zack and get him out of here." It was a noble plan, just the thing a Ranger would have come up with. And before anyone could argue, he had charged at the group of monsters, Blade Blaster held high. He swiped through the first two monsters, which fell at his feet, defeated. The next ones weren't quite so easy. They all struck at him at once and stopped him dead in his tracks. A punch from one and two simultaneous kicks from the others was more than enough to knock him down. A leg sweep had them all knocked down beside him before he even hit the ground.

Meanwhile, the other five were slowly working their way around to where Zack lay. For the moment, they were unchallenged, but as soon as Brak saw them, he left the other three to sort out the green clad warrior and went to deal with them personally.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked them.

"Get out of our way!" Kimberly snapped.

"Make me!" Brak said back. "Oh, I forgot. You can't, can you!" He laughed and fired a shot at them. They dodged and White Ranger returned fire, injuring the villain.

"Can't we?" he asked innocently.

"We know all about your little blood key," Purple Ranger told him.

"And we took appropriate steps to make sure we could get around them," Billy added.

White Ranger had his sword drawn and ready. "I think my blood is close enough to Sam's to counter the effects."

While he was distracted, the Zeo Rangers had snatched Zack and teleported away. By the time Brak had decided the Rangers were bluffing, the Black Ranger was safely back in the Power Chamber.

"Enough!" Brak growled. "Nice bluff Rangers, but you cannot harm me. Well, maybe White Ranger, but I have no intention of allowing that. And since I can harm you... Cyclone Cannon!"

With a quick roundhouse kick, Green Ranger sent the three monsters flying. He looked round to where he'd heard the shout and saw comrades fall before the power of the large weapon. "No!" he cried out as he ran in their direction.

Brak smiled as he saw the Green Ranger coming at him. By the time the Ranger realized what Brak was smiling at it was too late. The three monsters had fired at him. He felt a sharp pain in his back and another in his legs. He fell and passed out for a moment, when he woke, only about a minute later, he was lying on his back. He opened his eyes and saw the three monsters and Brak standing over him.

"Are you in pain Green Ranger? I bet the power poison has reached its peak by now. Can you feel it burning?"

"Yeah," Green Ranger admitted. "But this isn't over, yet."

"How can you say that? You're beaten Sam, admit it!"

Then the Green Ranger laughed. "You're a fool Brak," he said. He watched the outrage cross the villain's face before continuing. "You forgot there are two Rangers who share Sam's blood. David's blood is close enough that he can hurt you," Tommy said as he removed his helmet, revealing the Red Zeo uniform hidden by a glamour, "but mine is almost identical."

"You're still beaten," Brak told him.

"I could be," Tommy agreed, looking at a spot behind the villain's back. "But if I'm here, where's Sam?"

Realisation crossed the villain's face. He twisted, preparing himself for the attack from behind, cursing his stupidity for allowing the Rangers to get around his defence. He should have known that Zordon would have that information to hand.

"What?" he wondered when he found that his opponent was not there.

He turned back to face the Red Ranger and was struck by the full force of the Green Ranger's magic. The Green Ranger didn't speak as he twirled his sword ready for the next strike, nor did Tommy as he stood next to him. Together the attacked, breaking the villain's blood warding as their energised swords delivered a final and ultimately fatal slash.

"Zeo V Star Blast!"

"Green Power Slash!"

Brak stumbled back, smoke billowing from his body, the occasional eruption of dark energy showed that their blows had been successful and Brak would not survive much longer. In desperation, to buy himself time he drank a purple potion and grew.

"I will squash you like bugs!" he told the Rangers.

Sam paused and looked at Tommy. "Why do I never get tired of hearing that line?"

Tommy chuckled as David joined them. "I need Zeo Zord power, now!"

"We need Dino Zord power, now!" David and Sam called at the same time.

"Red Battlezord!"

"Dragonzord!"

"Raptor Zord!"

"POWER UP!" they cried together.

The Raptor Zord grabbed Brak and threw him to where the Dragonzord was waiting. The Green Ranger's machine made short work of the villain with its tail, leaving it to the Red Battlezord to finish the job by unleashing its gattling cannons.

"It's all over," Tommy announced, causing Brak to laugh.

"It's never over Rangers," he told them. "This was just the beginning."

"Who are you?" David wondered.

Brak stopped laughing as the three Zords attacked. Just before his demise he stared them in the face, his expression was serious as he told them: "I am just a pawn."

With that, Brak was destroyed and the Rangers returned to the Power Chamber.

* * *

"So Brak's plan focussed on his ability to isolate Sam from the rest of us," Trini said later as the Rangers and Zordon discussed the events of the last few days.

"Indeed," Zordon agreed. "Brax's race possess the ability to shift out of phase with this dimension, however while phased they can only touch members of their own race. It makes them effective bounty hunters."

"Brax discovered a way to use the blood of his victims, creating a blood bond. Using that bond he was able to drag Sam out of phase sufficiently to cause him harm," Alpha continued.

"But he forgot that Sam was a clone and that Tommy would possess identical DNA," Billy said. "And since David is Tommy's twin, his blood was close enough to count."

"So what happened when he tried to harm us?" Zack asked. "Because I didn't feel like I was shifting out of phase."

"Simple," Zordon told him, "whenever Brak decided to attack he simply phased back into this dimension. That way he could attack without fear of injury."

"Well I'm just glad it's over," Sam said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to catch up on some sleep."

His departure was the signal for the rest of the Rangers to leave and return to their normal activities, something they were happy to do. Zordon however remained. Something was wrong, they had learned that Brak was acting to collect a bounty, but who had placed it and why? Until he knew the answer to those questions Zordon couldn't help but think that perhaps they had made an error and that this was just the start of a bigger plot.

**End **


	12. Rise of the Black Dragon Part 1 - Uncont

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers. All characters belonging to that show are the property of their respective copyright owners. No money is being made from this fanfic. The basic storyline and parts of this chapter were created by Matt.

Author's Note: This story is based in the Conquest of Evil Universe.

Rise of the Black Dragon Part 1 - Uncontainable

**Prologue **

Hell was a place where seconds, hours and days could seem like centuries. It was a monstrous place of death and humiliation, where even the most basic rights of the individual were overlooked as the residents transformed the high and mighty into quivering and fully compliant servants. Over centuries of application, physical and mental pain was combined to break their subjects, quashing even the most meagre hopes and ensuring that any hint of individualism was instantly stamped out. Hardship, misery, boredom, fear and pain were the prime motivators as they performed the perfect physical and psychological make over.

The Master was one such subject. Formerly a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, an advanced species who had used his superior mind to attempt to gain power. He had misjudged and had as a result been dragged into a place where he would learn to regret. In his philosophy the Master had never been a firm believer in the afterlife; as a Time Lord he possessed the modified genetic information that led all of his kind to actively dismiss the notions of magic and the existence of mystical demons. He believed in aliens, extra dimensional entities and to some extent minor feats of psychic ability. Nyghtmayr had been just a strange creature that he could manipulate in the same way that he had countless others. He had been wrong about Nyghtmayr and he had been very wrong about demons.

After all that he had experienced, he was even prepared to admit that he had been very very wrong about the existence of Hell. He wasn't sure if he was physically there or just some small sub-dimension dedicated to his suffering, but he definitely believed in the human concept of eternal suffering.

His tormentors had made it their mission to give him a true understanding of suffering. To them pain and pleasure were so close that the difference was negligible. Screams of agony were to their ears the same as amused laughter. It was a lesson that had left him broken as the three demons had destroyed him only to rebuild him stronger than before, ready to break him again. At some point while one of the demons had been teaching him just how much pain could be extracted through the application of sharp and dull hooks, one of his wounds had become infected. The wound had not been treated, the anticipation of the pain such an infection would cause as his flesh was allowed to rot had caused a great deal of excitement for his hosts.

The infection should have been lethal, but the demons had kept him alive to increase his suffering. His ability to regenerate, a Time Lord's valued escape from death had been lost when he had started living beyond his designated number of lives. Still it seemed that death was not his chosen option as he continued to endure suffering beyond imagination.

No, he would never give in to death, not when he had evaded it so many times in the past. And here in a dimension intended for those who were not living, it was doubtful he could die anyway. He was also a genius and just as he always kept one last trap in reserve, so he also managed to conjure one more means of escape.

In this case salvation came from a piece of coral had had been growing inside his twisted body. It was a part of his former TARDIS and after the prescribed period, it was now sufficiently charged. Like many living things it had the natural desire to return to its home. And when it vanished to rejoin the rest of the TARDIS, it took the Master with it. It was not a pleasant journey, but he didn't feel the pain. The torture he had endured had destroyed his pain receptors.

And in a blink of the eye, the Master returned to life. Well, half-life was a more accurate description since there was no question that the deformed creature that had been ejected back to the mainstream universe could ever be described as healthy.

**Prologue ends **

* * *

Erlion

Long Ago

Zordon regarded the figure before him carefully. He reached out with his abilities, hoping to gain some insight into the man's character. It was a misguided desire to find a redeeming feature that could offset the maximum sentence. The life of a suspected criminal was in the balance and it was Zordon's job to answer the powerful being's single and direct question.

"Zordon, as the casting member of this panel, I ask you to state your verdict," the Judge said.

Zordon was silent, allowing the Power and his gift of prophecy to guide him. Was the accused guilty? Unquestionably. Was there anything, even the slightest indication to suggest that he could be redeemed? Zordon could sense only darkness within the self-proclaimed warlord's mind.

The evidence of war crimes though had been pretty compelling. In the last year Drac'cuul had done more than simply conquer worlds, he had committed countless atrocities against the citizens of the universe. A crime was a crime, regardless of the victim's stance in the war between good and evil. In fact some of the warlord's greatest atrocities had been committed against those many would describe as evil dictators. He had allowed those that followed his command to pillage the wealth of those they preyed on. Those who refused his right to rule them became casualties of war. The monsters he summoned had caused environmental disasters on ten worlds in the last fourteen months.

He had been caught in the act of overseeing the murder of women and children that dared to stand against him. He had been taken to Erlion to stand trial although it had taken a team of IGPF officers backed up by cybernetically enhanced Guardian Units to restrain him. Luckily once in restraints, Drac'cuul had been isolated from the power of the Morphin Grid. A special crystal prevented him from using magic while in the trial room.

Zordon looked at the judge, one of the longest and most respected High Councillors to serve the galaxy.

"Guilty, High Councillor."

"I see. And as spokesmen for the jury, do you find any reason for leniency?"

Zordon pondered the question. Drac'cuul was not a part of the Alliance of Evil, he had no loyalty to a greater power other than himself. In fact, he had made it clear repeatedly that he saw the warring sides in the ongoing struggle between good and evil as a symptom of some universal disease. A disease that could only be cured by bringing the population to its knees and then restructuring the political, economic and military structures to his blueprint.

Was Drac'cuul evil? Zordon wasn't sure. He was tempted to describe him as misguided or even insane. But somewhere deep inside Zordon knew that Drac'cuul was just as evil as some of those he had killed. The question then became could Drac'cuul be reformed, could the destructive schemes that he masterminded be put to more constructive use? His uncertainty was enough to override his instincts.

"Yes High Councillor, I do. I believe General Drac'cuul may never reform, but this court must show the attributes of mercy and compassion that he failed to show his victims. That is the line that separates us from the wicked. Drac'cuul has always been a political advocate of changing the universe for the better. I applaud his dedication, but I cannot condone his methods, which is why he is here. I suggest that he receive an indefinite sentence until such time that he is no longer a threat."

"This is an outrage!" Drac'cuul shouted. "I do not recognise this panel, this travesty of an organisation has no authority over me. How dare this mockery of a court hold me to account? This is a panel of no-name peasants. I am Drac'cuul, Lord of Dragoria, Master of the Black Dragon..."

"Drac'cuul, your titles have no bearing on this case. You took the title of Lord without the consent of those you forced to obey you. You have been found guilty of multiple counts of slavery, genocide, murder and theft," the Judge said, ignoring Drac'cuul's outburst. "You are clearly an intelligent man who should have known that hiding behind the defence of committing such atrocities for the greater good would never be a valid defence. You are a danger criminal that cannot be allowed to continue; never again will you be allowed to commit such heinous crimes. You will be taken from this place to a facility where you will be held away from those you sought to abuse. In view of the likelihood that your associates will attempt to set you free, you will be taken from this to the Starlag Penal Colony in the Logsdon Cluster. May the Power have mercy upon you."

"This court has no jurisdiction over me! You will pay for this Zordon!" Drac'cuul shouted again. "And it's Lord Drac'cuul! Show me the respect I deserve!"

"Alas Drac'cuul... that is the respect you deserve."

"You need pay his words no heed Zordon," the Judge said when the struggling villain had been removed. "He will not be released until he has reformed and even then he will be in no position to threaten you."

"I have no fear for myself High Councillor," Zordon replied. "I only feel sympathy for those whose lives have been ruined by Drac' I regret that we were unable to stop him sooner."

"As always you have managed to get to the point of the matter my friend. Thank you again Zordon, I do not know where we would be without you wisdom and sense of justice."

"May I ask what you did with his weapons, he seemed quite attached to them?" Zordon asked.

"I assure you they will be disposed of in such a way that Drac'cuul will never be able to find them."

Drac'cuul's arsenal had been the reason why the criminal had been so difficult to capture. It was made from a combination of mystically enhanced armour and a magically crafted sword. Stripping him of his armour had been a major part of neutralising the threat that Drac'cuul posed to the universe. Disabling the many enhancements he had placed on his body had taken longer.

Zordon closed the link from his private dimension to the courtroom, paid his respects to his fellow jurors and returned his attention to his post monitoring the planet Earth. He felt just the faintest tinge of bitterness that Drac'cuul may someday be freed whilst he had been imprisoned for the rest of his life for fighting evil and trying to be a good man.

Still, there was no point in feeling bitter because it would do him no good. Zordon had never regretted the sacrifice he had been forced to make in order to defeat Rita Repulsa. She had betrayed him by breaking the truce he had arranged. In a last effort to ensure she was restrained until a force arose, capable of dealing with her evil, Zordon had sealed her inside a Space Dumpster.

The result had been ten thousand years spent alone, apart from the occasional council meeting. Alpha Five had been repaired by Lexian after the final battle with Rita and sent to Earth. Alpha had with Zordon's instruction built the first Command Center. Together they had formulated a master plan to eradicated the threat of evil once and for all.

* * *

Starlag Penal Colony Spaceport, the Logsdon Cluster

Present Day

The powerful hover jet stopped in front of the prison transport ship. Inside were twenty of the most dangerous captives in IGPF custody. Some were going to be imprisoned and some had been sentenced to termination. No chances were taken with such a major transfer. The IGPF had poured, as many resources as it could into ensuring a full contingent of officers were available for escort duty.

The IGPF's role in the day to day running of the Council planets had developed from a limitation placed upon the Power Rangers. Although they had the full authority of the Council to repel invaders who threatened their worlds, the Rangers could not act against the everyday scum who preyed on the defenceless. It had therefore been decided to create a second group with a separate command structure, the IGPF.

Unlike Power Rangers, members of the Inter-Galactic Police Force were not compelled to remain on one world, although they did have officers on each Council world as liaisons with the local law enforcement agencies. IGPF officers could travel to any planet and patrol space to prevent crimes from running illegal drugs to murder. Over time a close relationship had formed between the IGPF and the Rangers.

The planned transfer was so important that for the first time in recent memory, the gap between Ranger and IGPF officer had been closed with the creation of the SPD: the Special Prison Detail. SPD officers served in the IGPF, but had been granted pseudo-morphers that allowed them to wear Ranger style armour for up to an hour.

Each morpher contained a blank Power Coin, minted at a secret location. Instead of being linked directly to the Morphin Grid, the morphers drew from alternate sources. When transformed, SPD officers had increased stamina, speed, strength and accuracy. Their armour was designed to function against those most likely to attempt a prison break. They were equipped with special energy shields concealed in their left-hand gauntlet and a laser pistol that functioned as a police baton. In addition they had access to the strongest handcuffs ever created.

Only ten IGPF officers were qualified to serve as SPD. Together the ten were a force that had ensured that prison transports throughout the galaxy remained secure.

A siren sounded and the SPD officers snapped to attention. Each was dressed in heavy black body armour, only the lower parts of their faces were visible. No weapons could be seen hanging on their bodies, they kept them stowed in the armoury for safety.

Inside the hover jet the prisoners had been arranged according to their destination and restrained as necessary. For some that mean having their arms and legs shackled to the seat, for others it meant being placed in a secured cage and for some it meant before secured in a block of solid carbonate. On board the prison transport special arrangements had been arranged for each captive to ensure they could not get away.

The six Guardian Units snapped to attention as the doors opened. Being cybernetic they were beyond bribery, they were expendable and they didn't need weapons to stop a revolt. A simple twist of the neck was enough to subdue a convict permanently.

The prisoners due for transport looked up as the Marshal in charge of the transfer stepped into the hover jet. "My name is Marshall Daross. You will obey each and every instruction I give you to the letter. You will not attempt any form of escape or you will discover your current accommodations are considered lenient. Obey the rules and respect the authority of the IGPF officers acting as your escorts and this trip will be over quickly. If you do not obey the rules, this trip will be the longest journey you will ever make." Turning to the officers standing ready behind him, he added, "Move them out."

Forty unarmed officers entered the hover jet, each of them having signed away any rights if they were taken hostage. Without a weapon there was no way their prisoners could steal a gun. Together they escorted, dragged and pulled the prisoners out onto the floor of the space port.

"Activate containment field!" Daross ordered, pointing at the hover jet. "Begin environmental purge."

An energy screen appeared across the door of the hover jet. Inside poison gas was pumped in followed by a discharge of radiation to kill any organic life left inside, thus ensured there were no stowaways. Then the hover jet was sent back to the prison by remote control.

"Let's get these prisoners processed and placed on board people," Daross shouted. "I want to be out of here within the hour."

* * *

The Time Vortex

Following his release from his hellish torment, the Master had started seeking a way to rebuild his damaged body. He had searched the database seeking a way to counter the damage he had suffered at the hands of the Punishment Demons. He had found and stolen a TARDIS and reconfigured it to serve as his life support. Once the reconfiguration was complete, he had set a course for the Sol System, somehow knowing that the little blue planet would hold the answer. When the name Drac'cuul had appeared, he had taken a closer look at the file. While the renegade warrior who had somehow managed to incur the wrath of villains and heroes alike didn't interest him, there was a potential use for the failed warlord.

Drac'cuul had been one of the more successful warlords that had plagued the universe, mostly because he had set out to conquer any planet that was not already under his control. He would be a perfect patsy to use in the Master's schemes.

Arranging Drac'cuul's freedom had taken time, finding the mercenaries he could trust to complete the task even if he couldn't trust them not to turn on him afterwards. In the end he had found a pirate clan willing to work for the stolen credits he had offered and had granted them the lives of any other prisoners or guards as a bonus. Now it was just a case of waiting for the pirates to complete their task.

* * *

Starlag Penal Colony Space Port, the Logsdon Cluster,

One Hour Later

It had seemed like an endless process, but eventually all the prisoners had been processed and taken aboard one of the three transport ships the IGPF had decided to use. Each prisoner had been rigorously inspected for foreign objects they might attempt to use to escape. Every cavity and orifice had been check, a long and demanding task considering not all the prisoners and IGPF officers were anatomically human.

Eventually it had been completed and Drac'cuul was transported on board the third prison ship. Escorted by six armed guards he was taken to an empty area in the center of the ship. There his guards chained him to a fixed metal chair. A solid cage of titanium alloy was placed around the chair. The bars extended to form a ceiling over Drac'cuul's head and a floor under his feet. Beyond the cage was a second set of energy bars. Four laser beams had been placed on the outside and four Guardian Units positioned around the perimeter. Finally a three-part door opened into a gas-filled airlock.

The entire cell had been created to be independent from the rest of the ship. From there, Drac'cuul could have no influence over the rest of the ship and should any accidents occur the officers could be sure he would not be freed. With the last prisoner in place the organic officers left the cell area, sealing it behind them. Only robotic officers were allowed in the detention areas during flight.

At the signal all was clear the space port's operators opened the force field containing the prison ships. All three craft lifted off and joined their escorts in orbit above the planet. Today in addition to their normal escorts they had four advanced level fighters to assist. Phoenix, Eagle, Albatross and Scorpio were ready for action. Each ship had been created using Ranger technology as a reference point. Each ship had been given a special function within the escort.

Phoenix and Eagle were the lead ships, both capable of high speed travel. The Eagle served as the command ship, relaying data back to the vessels they were escorting, while Phoenix was the trouble-shooter, meeting possible trouble makers before they got too near. The Scorpio was the troop and supply ship, providing a refuelling bay for those fighters that accompanied the prison ships.

Phoenix was a large blue and red spacecraft, originally fitted for planetary use. The phoenix was fast mainly because of its small mass compared to most ships. The twin engines at the rear provided most of its thrust, with additional power from the additional engines fitted to each wingtip. Crewed by five officers, the Phoenix was capable of releasing three one-man fighters and carried enough artillery to make it a virtual fortress.

Eagle had originally been designed for exploration. Powered by its four rear-mounted engines the ship did not have any defences of its own. However, it did sport the largest holding bay in the fleet and always had a squadron capable of dealing with any attackers. To prevent any suicide gambits wiping out its vital passengers, Eagle was able to release the docking bay into space. It could also and use its own limited shield to provide protection.

The Scorpio was a troop and supply frigate. It was primitive and difficult to fly, but had regenerating shields that put most ships to shame. Scorpio's main purpose on this transport was to provide a simply rear guard against pursuers. If necessary, the Scorpio could ram an incoming ship and survive intact.

The Albatross was one of only two ships made in its class. Originally built for the colonists of KO-35 it had at one point been known as the Kappa Megaship. The exact designers of the ship were unknown, except they had at some staff been involved in a deadly war. The Albatross had been found with its crew in hibernation. There they had been revived and trained to form the backbone of SPD. The Albatross had been refitted, but the crew liked the ship and the commander of the IGPF arranged to purchase the craft and had had the Zord interfaces removed.

What made the Albatross truly unique was its computer system. On KO-35 the Rangers used an AI unit known as DECA. The Albatross's computer Zen made DECA resemble what Earthlings referred to as a ZX81. Zen was more than a simple computer. He had sub-computers handling every task on the ship and everything was linked back to him. Whereas DECA could only monitor the different parts of the Astro Megaship, Zen could monitor, control and repair any part of the Albatross from almost any damage.

The main design feature about the Albatross was its four-part drive system. The main power and hyper rush systems were found at the rear of the ship. From out it resembled a large green ball pulsating with energy. The engines were linked into a long fuselage to the seven-man control bay at the front. From the main fuselage three detached engines were suspended, forming an equilateral triangle. Each engine was the length of the main fuselage, culminating with a powerful weapon's array near the front. From the rear the Albatross looked like a large green ball, but from the front it looked like a four-pronged death machine.

Despite these four powerful ships the IGPF had long accepted that small ships were needed to deal with the fast attack cruisers that sometimes attacked convoy. As a result eight IGPF fights surrounded the convoy at all times. Each craft was a Tri-winged fighter piloted by two IGPF officers. The machines were fast and effective both in and outside of convoy formation. They were hyper rush capable and had an advanced targeting system.

As the convoy linked their computer systems together Commander Daross had a green light. Giving the order to his crew the fifteen strong prison fleet jumped to hyper space, on course for Eltare.

* * *

Space

Later

~How had it gone so wrong?~ Lieutenant Allen wondered as he struggled to free himself from his Tri-fighter's wreckage.

In less than half an hour a simple escort mission had turned into the largest tragedy in IGPF history. It had happened so quickly that Allen doubted anyone could have done anything to prevent it. Three escort ships and many snub fighters destroyed, the Albatross crew forced to abandon ship and then captured, three transport ships devastated, their prisoners whisked away to freedom and worst of all the SPD operatives serving as marshals had been killed.

It had started out as per the briefing, the convoy had jumped to hyper space and the pilots had settled in for a two-hour journey to Eltare. In hyper space the ships were impervious to outside influence, or so they thought. An explosion had rocked the convoy after only an hour. The ships had reverted to real space, nobody aware of where they were or what was happening.

Communications, scanners and even radio signals had been rendered useless by the explosion. At first Allen had thought they were under attack, but nobody could have attacked them from outside hyper space. Then the realization had set in. It had not been an external attack; it had been a bomb planted in the convoy's path, designed with the sole purpose of forcing the convoy to re-enter real space.

The bombing of hyper space convoys was a rare but often successful technique favoured by pirate who preyed on royal tour ships. First, the attacker would find out the path its target was likely to take and pick an area where there were few worlds capable of lending assistance. Next a high yield gravity generator was positioned to force any ships to slow. Normally that would be enough for a pirate ship to attack the exposed craft.

But this attacker had had more sinister motives than robbing a goods transporter. Instead of waiting for a ship to re-enter real space the attacker had attached the gravity generator to a graphite bomb. The result was an immediate short circuit in every electrical system throughout the fleet.

Then the attack had started. A single ship had appeared, larger than Phoenix, Eagle and Scorpio, although not quite as large as Albatross. It had fired its entire laser battery at the crippled ships, knowing that they had no chance of surviving such a barrage without shields. Smaller fighters had launched from the larger craft and began to pick off the defending snub fighters, ship by ship.

The SPD operatives' fighters had been trapped inside Phoenix, not because they were disabled, but because the docking bay doors had been jammed shut when the power failed.

Allen and his copilot Officer Mavrick had chosen that moment to try and act. Together they managed to rewire their small ship, freeing it from Eagle's ruined computer. The moment they did so their ship came to life.

"What now?" Mavrick asked as they directed their ship towards the nearest attacker.

"We get a message sent to IGPF Headquarters and try to keep as many of those fighters away as possible," Allen replied. His words were not as gallant as they sounded. A quick look at his status board had told Allen that a jump to hyper space was currently impossible due to the failure of the Navigation computer.

"Targeting system is online, shields at sixty percent," Mavrick reported, activating the weapons and letting Allen control their flight.

"Two second burst right yoke," Allen said.

As he spoke, Allen fired the afterburners and pulled the ship to the right. Zeroing in on the nearest ship, he fired, pitching hard left to lock onto a second.

"We have three ships heading towards us," Mavrick told his companion. "One has fired a heat seeker."

"Activate diversion," Allen instructed.

Mavrick pressed a series of buttons and a torpedo was launched, keeping speed just behind them. At the last moment a second torpedo was launched, detonating the first and catching the attackers' heat seeker in the blast.

Allen was not done yet. Guiding his small craft towards Invincible, the largest of the three transport ships he attempted to dock. A thought had occurred to him during the brief fire fight and he hoped he was wrong. Before he could dock another of the attacking ships moved in.

Mavrick took a moment to identify the craft they were facing. Similar to the Tri-fighter in the form of its three wings, the craft had no nosecone, the cockpit ending in a simple transparent screen. The fighter had been identified as a Yoke Fighter, used exclusively by the Shogun Pirate Clan.

In the time it had taken for Allen to realise his plan would not work another four fighters were heading in his direction. Using the wreckage from The Scorpio as cover, Allen was able to turn his fighter to face his pursuers. Pushing a button he reset his engines so they fired in different directions. Waiting until the attackers were within range and then pressed the 'engine engage' control and the fire button at the same time.

Propelled from different directions the fighter started to spin, firing its deadly lasers at the same time. For a full two minutes the fighter continued to spin, shredding the attacking snub fighters before slowing.

"Allen, we need to move, now!" Mavrick shouted as he noticed the large cruiser closing in on them. Too late Allen started the engines. The Tri-fighter's canopy shattered, depressurising Mavrick's section of the cockpit. Mavrick was torn out of the hole into the cold vacuum of space.

Allen had not been much luckier. The fighter had continued moving, crushing his legs as it smashed into the remains of another fighter. He had the oxygen to survive, but he knew he would never walk again. Without power and with little hope of rescue Allen was forced to watch as his colleagues were taken from their ships. He saw a fire fight from inside the transporter, which he assumed was the marshals' ship. Then the fighting had stopped and the attackers had gone, taking the prisoners and some of the guards with them.

Now Allen lay dying among the remains of his fighter. He doubted anybody would ever find the convoy in time if at all. He had no doubt they had been hijacked as far from the nearest Council planet as possible. Even the tiniest movement hurt now and Allen knew he could not go on. Struggling against the pain, he reached for the ejection switch. The remains of the canopy were blown into space and Allen died.

* * *

The assault had been the perfect combination of careful planning and the Captain's insistence on the excellence of those following him. He had calculated the convoy's exact path and had been able to plant the hyper space bomb on their course. The explosion had had three main purposes, but had actually achieved an unexpected plus. Of course the ships had been left stranded, without communications or weapons, which was the first aim. At the same time an emergency system had released the cell area from each transporter. It had been easy for the Shogun forces to overrun the cells since the guards had all been deactivated in the explosion. The bonus had been that the explosion had smashed the crystal used to prevent Drac'cuul from wielding his magic. By the time his rescuers had arrived he had already teleported away from his cell to the Phoenix's survival module.

Drac'cuul had wanted revenge and had decided to take it out on the SPD operatives. They had bravely returned fire and used their limited powers to the best of their abilities. In the end though Drac'cuul had mercilessly killed six of them, leaving the team's commander and his top officers alive. It fell to Drac'cuul's sense of humour to torture his victims. Their one hour charge exhausted, the remaining marshals would have only a limited time to live before the air ran out and with the other ships gone, they had no chance of getting away.

Finally one of the pirates had convinced Drac'cuul it was time to leave. A small snub fighter had somehow managed to fly long enough to destroy some of their fighters. The officer had been quickly dealt with and the mercenaries had returned to their original tasks, taking prisoners.

Then their task complete, the pirates had changed course and headed away.

* * *

"So you are the one I owe my freedom to," Drac'cuul greeted as he approached the Master.

"Warlord Drac'cuul, so good to finally see you," he replied. "I trust your incarceration has not had any lasting effects."

Drac'cuul's aura flared angrily at the speculation that he was in any way diminished.

"I believe I am as powerful as ever," Drac'cuul replied. "Now, what do you want with me? I am not a puppet for you to order around."

"I don't have to order Warlord Drac'cuul," he responded. "On the contrary, I believe you will find this a pleasurable task. That is assuming you would enjoy the opportunity for resume your previous campaign, after taking revenge of course, especially against..." He paused briefly to give his words the desired emphasis. "Zordon of Eltare."

Drac'cuul's eyes sparked as he heard the name of the man he blamed for his incarceration. The Master smiled to himself, noting the way Drac'cuul had been baited into displaying his anger earlier. It seemed that he had read the warlord's character perfectly.

"Zordon of Eltare?" he boomed, his usual coldness replaced by rage. "I would give anything to destroy Zordon of Eltare!"

The Master was silent, waiting for Warlord Drac'cuul to continue. He could tell the oppressive silence made Drac'cuul nervous. He was glad.

"But I cannot do it yet; I need my weapons"

The Master nodded. For all his arrogance and boasting Drac'cuul was actually intelligent. Without the sword and armour, which functioned as a means to guide the power flowing through his body, Drac'cuul could not show his true prowess.

"The weapons will prove easy to reclaim. Indeed you will hardly need my help at all, unless..." He let the words hang, tempting Warlord Drac'cuul to ask the question.

"Unless what?"

"Well, Earth is defended by a team of Zordon's students. They call themselves Power Rangers."

Warlord Drac'cuul laughed. "Why should a team of Rangers threaten me? I am Drac'cuul, Lord of Dragoria, and the Master of the Black Dragons. Do you even know what that means?"

The Master chose to ignore the question. "You were Lord of Dragoria, time has changed and that planet is under new leadership. And your followers... if they survived then they have performed their tasks beautifully, integrating themselves into the most respectable parts of society. The rest were purged following your imprisonment," the Master corrected. "Unless of course you can take command of their new leaders."

"I am the Master of the Black Dragon; that alone assures their loyalty whether they like it or not," Drac'cuul told him, "Even those that have died. With my armour even the most wilful citizen is my pawn. Those of the Dragon line are mine to command and none may stand against my word. Now tell me again why I should feel a bunch of children pretending to be Rangers?"

"Show some respect Drac'cuul, or I will have you ejected into space," the Master warned. "Your abilities are not under scrutiny here, only your knowledge of recent events. Those children playing Rangers have seen off Rita Repulsa, Lord Zedd, Master Vile and the Machine Empire. They are not to be taken lightly. Some of them are Morphin Rangers and the others possess the Zeo Crystal."

"The Zeo Crystal?" he asked. Drac'cuul recalled that Master Vile had been obsessed with the Zeo Crystal and had offered a reward for whoever presented it to him. "It's of no importance. They are children and I am a warlord. Zeo Rangers or Morphin Rangers, I shall crush them all!" Drac'cuul swore.

"Do not believe yourself infallible," the Master warned.

"Let me retrieve my armour - just my swords will do and I promise I will deal with Zordon and his pupils."

"Very well Drac'cuul, if you insist," the Master said after a pause. He enjoyed the anxiety that cross his face when he seemed undecided; as if he would really turn him down. "I can see that insisting that you retrieve all the pieces of your protection before facing them. You may do things your way, but if you fail, we will do things my way." He pushed a few buttons and the TARDIS shuddered as it briefly landed and then departed from the Earth.

**To be continued **


	13. Rise of the Black Dragon Part 2 - Unrede

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or Doctor Who; they belong to their respective copyright owners. No profit is made from this fanfiction. Series wise this adventure takes place during the Eighth Doctor Series of books.

Rise of the Black Dragon Part 2 - Unredeemable

The shrine of Redemption, Dragoria

Kno' lit the final candle and kneeled before the altar as she had done every day since she had been appointed as High Priestess of her order. That had been over five thousand years ago, when the exploits of Zordon of Eltare were still enough to inspire the younger generation to serve the Power.

In recent times Kno' had had more than the daily rituals to concern herself about. As the High Priestess of the Dragon she had been charged with the duty of protecting some of galaxy's greatest weapons, including one of the swords that the criminal Drac'cuul had used in battle before his capture. Once it had been a powerful and beautiful blade. Soaked in the blood of the helpless though it was had become a tool of the darkness.

Kno' had always had a strong link to the Morphin Grid and her totem animal, the Green Dragon. Not only was that link due to her personality, but through her ancestry. Her race had evolved from reptiles instead of apes and retained some of their race's most notable features such as the thick-scaled skin. She had hoped that through daily meditation she could use magic to purge the evil from the blade and restore some of its beauty. Sadly it seemed that the dark magic placed on the blade and the blood that it had drawn had given the blade an aura that perverted it for all time.

"That sword belongs to me I think," a voice said.

Kno' turned and found Warlord Drac'cuul watching her. It didn't take her long to recognise him, she had seen his picture many times in the past. Plus she had been expecting his arrival since news of his escape had reached her.

"How dare you enter this sacred place?" she demanded. "Such sacrilege is punishable by death."

Drac'cuul flicked his tongue, an act that made his Dragorian features more obvious. In the presence of his sword he could feel the dark magic flowing through his veins, growing by the second. With an animalistic howl he charged the Green Master. She replied with a similar battle cry as plated armour formed around her body giving her a scaled appearance as she prepared for combat. From her hip holster she drew a small green dagger covered with the gold symbol of the dragon.

"Pathetic!" Drac'cuul sneered. "A true warrior doesn't need the Morphin Grid to hide behind."

Although weakened without his sword and armour, there was a definite change as he drew on his reserve of magical energy. He snatched a large wooden axe from one of the walls and wielded it clumsily as the two warriors met in combat, trading blows that would have shattered a normal person's body. Despite the extra strength that Drac'cuul exhibited, Kno' was more than able to hold her own.

"Hurry up, Drac'cuul!" a new voice shouted.

While Drac'cuul had kept the Green Master busy, the Master had grabbed the sword. He tossed it to Drac'cuul who felt an immediate surge in his power.

"Hear me, Green Master," Drac'cuul almost hissed as he tried to draw the power from his sword to enhance his will. "I am the Master of the Black Dragon, ruler of all those tied to the Dragon be it by magic or blood and you will heed me. Stop this attack, now!"

Kno' hesitated for a moment before recovering her wits, almost succeeding in taking Drac'cuul's head off with an energized blow. But Drac'cuul had no intention of fighting fair. Her distraction had allowed him to vanish from sight to rejoin the Master. The Time Lord produced a small cylinder, fired and Kno' screamed as her body experienced the pain of having the moisture removed. She knew there was little time left, but with her last strength sent her morpher to her successor. There was no way she would be responsible for the creation of an evil Ranger. Drac'cuul did not seem to care. He was on his way to regaining his former strength.

"Zordon of Eltare beware," he said menacingly as he waved his sword in the air with one hand while still holding the axe in the other. "The Master of the Black Dragon, has returned. Wait... this is just one of my swords, where are the others?" He looked down at his opponent expecting an answer and was horrified to discover that she was beyond caring. "Fool! I needed her alive, now how will I recover the rest of my weapons?"

"Are you saying that you are incapable of defeating the Rangers with one blade?" the Master asked, knowing that his words would have the desired effect. Drac'cuul was just too proud to accept such an insult and despite his protests to the contrary, he was not thinking clearly enough to see through the Master's manipulation. Besides, to the Master's mind Drac'cuul only had two hands and already wielded a sword and an axe, why would he need more blades?

"Of course not," Drac'cuul blustered. "I can defeat those children now if I wanted to."

"Indeed," the Master said as he stepped over the fallen Grid Master, "then why not put that boast to the test and see if you can still command some of your little toys?"

* * *

Earth

"It's over Scorponoid!" Red Zeo shouted from inside the Zeo Megazord.

The machine didn't respond. It wasn't programmed for witty banter. In fact the machine lacked the complexity of most of Mondo, Gasket and even Sprocket's creations. It was more of a tank than a robot, operated by a single gold painted Cog that had been hooked into the cockpit as a control system. Still, despite its crude nature, the machine was unquestionably deadly; twin pincers that could deliver a sharp punch, concealed acid sprays that had damaged the Megazord's shielding and of course its powerful tail that could pierce and electrify the Zord.

The Megazord landed a few punches and succeeded in grabbing the machine's tail, allowing the Super Zeo Megazord to slice it off. Together the two Zords crushed the machine, destroying the cockpit as crushing the Cog in the process.

"Okay, let's go home," Pink Zeo said.

She waited for her leader to give the signal. Tommy didn't react. It was then that Tommy and Rocky removed their helmets, a strange look on their faces.

"Guys?" Green Zeo asked.

"Sorry Adam," Red Zeo said, snapping to. "Let's go."

* * *

When they got back to the Power Chamber, the Rangers were surprised to find Alpha scanning both Sam and Jason. Both of them had the strange expression that the others had seen on Tommy and Rocky earlier.

"Zordon, what is going on?" Kat asked.

"Rangers, I have just received word that a vicious criminal known as Warlord Drac'cuul has escaped from his imprisonment and is responsible for the disappearance of the Green Master, Kno'. Kno' had been charge with protecting Drac'cuul's blade, a weapon that distorts and taints the Green and Red powers. Jason, Rocky, Sam and Tommy are feeling the presence of Drac'cuul through the Morphin Grid. He is a dangerous foe and I believe it will take all your strength to fight him."

"Where is he now Zordon?" Jason rasped.

"His current location is unknown, however I believe that he will make his way here to Earth."

"So what do we do?" Sam asked.

"For now all four of you must rest while Alpha and I decide our next course of action. Billy is in the Holding Bay repairing the Zords after their recent battles." Reluctantly the Rangers teleported away so Zordon could issue his next set of instructions. "Alpha, send a message to the  
Grid Masters. Advise them that Drac'cuul has gained control over his sword's special ability; warn them that Rangers with the Dragon totem are at risk."

The little android scurried to obey as Zordon silently prayed his Rangers would be strong enough to beat back their new opponent. ~They have faced so much, but Drac'cuul is a different sort of villain, his crimes more heinous because he sees himself above the need for law and morals.~ He pushed that thought as far away as he could. His Rangers would never accept defeat without first trying and Zordon was not willing to give up either.

A faint noise caught his attention. An image appeared on the Viewing Screen. "Enjoy peace while you can Zordon. Because tomorrow will be the first day in the Age of the Dragon!"

* * *

A tiny rip in the fabric of time and space was all it took. The strange object faded three times before stabilizing. The light on the top flashed in sync with the sound of grinding gears. After a loud explosion from inside and a cloud of green smoke the object finally settled behind Angel Grove Police Headquarters. Some would say the object would have looked at home there except the American police force had no use for a Victorian Police Box outside its headquarters.

There was the sound of more grinding gears as the object attempted to escape back into the vortex where it belonged. A male voice swore in a dialect so old it had been forgotten even on the distant world where it had originated. The swearing stopped; to be replaced by choking as yet another cloud of smoke billowed from the door.

"Of all the times for the TARDIS to break down, why did it have to be now?" a voice grumbled.

The door opened as a young girl with blonde hair struggled outside, choking on the strong fumes that wafted out of the open doorway; a brown haired man followed her Unlike his companion, he was not coughing although his nose wrinkled at the disgusting smell.

"I'm not sure," he told his companion, making sure to check that they were responsive and not showing signs of exposure. "The old girl has been acting - strange recently. Too many journeys to alternate time lines and dimensional rifts for it to just be a coincidence. It's almost as if she's preparing herself for something. Or is she preparing me?"

"So she did this on purpose," the girl guessed. "Great, the last thing we need is a time machine that only takes us where it wants to go."

"The TARDIS has always had a mind of its own," the second man admitted. "She's just asserting herself for some reason. Besides she didn't exactly land here of her own accord, I pulled the emergency lever. There again I couldn't have you two suffocating, could I?"

"So those fumes were poisonous then?"

"Lethal," he replied pleasantly, smoothing out his green frock coat. "It does make travelling unpleasant."

"Unpleasant? You tell us your own time machine tried to kill us and you only describe it as unpleasant?" the blonde asked incredulously. She couldn't believe that he could make such a statement and keep smiling.

"Well it could have been deliberate, an attempt to force us to go where she needs us to go, but more likely it's accidental. She is getting on a bit and should have had a service five hundred light years ago." He frowned. He had been as reluctant to return to his home planet of Gallifrey as he had been to land on Earth during the late Twentieth Century. The latter was out of concern for his companion, the former from fear of what chance had taken place since the last time he had been there. "One of the recycling units used to direct the flow of mercury for the fluid links failed. The smell is from the chemicals added to the tanks to warn of any leaks. Not exactly fatal compared to mercury vapour, but the enzymes in the tank have decayed, creating ammonia." He studied the instrument in his hand before continuing. "The vapour extractor failed, probably due to old age, creating a deadly atmosphere." He patted the box affectionately. "She's actually quite embarrassed about it, aren't you old girl? Still, until we can purge the gases, replace the fluid links and repair the machinery, we're stuck here."

"So all this is due to you failing to book it in for a service," the girl surmised.

The brown haired man known throughout the many galaxies as the Doctor frowned, remembering that the last time Sam had taken on this tone he had ended up at a Green Peace rally being shot at by angry protesters.

"You're right, it's my fault," he admitted, deciding that this was not the best time to get in an argument. "It should have been taken care of in the five thousand light year service package. Unfortunately the problem with using a stolen TARDIS and falling out of favour with the High Council is that booking a technician is too much hassle."

~Especially,~ he thought, ~when a trip to Gallifrey risks being drawn into whatever political shenanigans they're involved in.~

He pulled another device from his pocket, this time it was an electronic pad with a small pen connected to it via a wire. He turned and looked at the police box for a moment then stared into the sky, trying to sense something.

"Well we've done it again," he decided finally. "Either we're in an alternate reality or somebody has managed to rewrite Earth's geography. We're in America, or at least a part of it. The country is the wrong shape though, almost as if someone had slipped an extra piece in."

He wondered briefly if the TARDIS really had malfunctioned and directed them to the nearest compatible universe or whether it had had an ulterior motive in bringing them here. The shape of this Earth was very strange, lots of strange areas of land added to the map. The idea that somebody had sent him there to investigate was outrageous, especially with the restrictions President Flavia had put on Celestial Intervention Agency after the Borusa Interregnum. Still, the Doctor knew he was not popular on Gallifrey, especially with all the rumours of political posturing. He wouldn't put it past them to find a way to shift him out of the way.

"This place looks familiar," the Doctor said, not quite understanding how it could be familiar when he had just discovered that the place hadn't existed on the Earth he knew." He looked at the pad again. "Let's see... late Twentieth Century Earth I should think from our surroundings and the number plates. Odd, a large number of signs in Japanese yet we are in the United States. I'm surprised we're not in England, but the sky says it all."

Samantha laughed at the comment when he illustrated the lack of rain.

Why the Doctor chose to take a young girl with him on his journeys, was beyond his peers. Many of them did not understand the Doctor's reason for doing anything, even those who had spent extended periods in his company. They had been amazed when he had proceeded inside a year to eliminate the Daleks and Cybermen during his previous incarnation, but had failed to understand why he had not continued to wipe out the Sontarians and Reutons at the same time.

In truth the only person who knew the Doctor's motives was the Doctor himself and even he couldn't be sure on occasion; the trouble with meeting your past and future selves was that it was easy to manipulate yourself into acting in certain ways. He allowed people to accompany him for no better reason than he enjoyed having somebody around to ask him questions and stoke his ego. He also found that a pretty face was a good distraction during long journeys. It helped that his companions often found themselves out of their depth and needed rescuing. It made him feel important to know they relied on him to get them out of trouble.

"Does that thing tell you where we are?" She asked, pointing to a sign that had been painted over with graffiti and now read: WELCOME TO THE FREAK ZONE, right above KILROY WUZ ERE. "Even if you don't recognise the geography, the name of the town would be useful."

"Freak Zone," the Doctor repeated. He wondered where on Earth the Freak Zone could be and why he suddenly had a bad feeling about being there? He looked at the datapad again, fiddling with its settings until he hacked into the military's Global Positioning System settings. "Must be some local nickname, this is Angel Grove, California."

Angel Grove? The Doctor knew the name but couldn't remember where from. He couldn't be certain that he really remembered at all. A Time Lord's memory was supposed to recall every path they ever walked, but recent events had proven that the Doctor's memory was open to manipulation. He knew he had been here before in a previous life, but why?

"Zordon!" he cried suddenly as the appropriate memory surfaced. He had been here before to visit a friend of his, an Eltarian named Zordon. "Good old Zordon. I bet he has a way to help us." He trailed off. "Why would he be here though?"

His memory rapidly filled in the blanks, overwriting the sense of wrongness as it did so.

"Doctor..." Sam trailed off, noticing that he seemed lost in thought again. He'd been doing that a lot recently. "Doctor? Doctor!" she shouted urgently. "We've got company!"

The Doctor examined the new arrivals. He noticed that there was something odd about the group. When they transformed into strange creatures with gold heads and wearing black jumpsuits, his suspicions were confirmed.

"Sam, when I say run, RUN!"

Pushing his companion out of the way, the Doctor exploded into action. As the only humanoid with two arms to master Venusian Aikido the Doctor was a skilled fighter. Feet and fists moved swiftly as he expertly threw his opponents and dropped them to the ground. Whenever two attackers collided, they disappeared. He stood back as the survivors struggled to stand, noticing that Sam had managed to drop one with a low blow.

Somewhere along the line they had managed to multiply, six men becoming eighteen warriors. Those who survived their first attempt managed to stand again ready to attack once more. Sam by this time had given up and was running, leaving the Doctor to hold them off. He managed for a while before their numbers gave them the advantage.

* * *

The Power Chamber

The alarm had sounded in the Power Chamber. The occupants had been surprised to discover Skugs attacking a trio of unidentified humans; it was not unheard of for Grimlord to divert his attacks to Angel Grove, but it was a rare occurrence.

"Any idea what they're after?" Adam asked.

"Not yet Adam, we can only assume they are a part of Grimlord's plan to invade this dimension," Zordon answered. Following the battle with Minion the Rangers and their allies had met a few times, comparing notes on their various enemies.

A small beeping could be heard from one of the little used computer systems.

"What is that?"

"It's a temporal disruption inside the Morphin Grid," Alpha reported.

"Grimlord probably detected the disruption and sought to secure whatever was causing it for his own purposes," Zordon offered.

"Locating source now..." Alpha murmured as he manipulated the controls.

"There is no need Alpha, I believe that since Grimlord has chosen to attack those humans that they are the source of the disruption. Direct your search in their direction."

Alpha did as he was told. Both strangers were generating strange energy readings. Using the Power Chamber's computer link to various databases, he was able to discover that one was an anomaly, originally human with strands of unknown genetic material added at a later date. According to the computer she was Samantha Jones currently located in Angel Grove. At the same time, it suggested that she was in her parents home in London. Alpha and Zordon assumed that meant that she was a time traveller who for some reason was located in her recent past.

The other was even more of a mystery. His identification was almost impossible since according to the computer his energy signature did not exist within the Morphin Grid. There were very few races that did not appear in some form and only one race was known to travel outside of their own star system. A quick scan of his biology revealed that the man was indeed alien, his physiology matching that of a known race of time travellers that the people of Eltare had fought alongside in the past.

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi the computer search has triggered a state of alert around the world."

"That is to be expected Alpha," Zordon rumbled. "Use the Viewing Globe to search the surrounding area for anything unusual."

"There!" Adam said when the image changed to that of the police box. "Why would something like that be there?"

"I believe you are correct Adam. I am also certain that these people do not pose a threat although they could use some help."

"Shall I go and help him, Zordon?" Adam asked.

Zordon considered for a moment, then decided that he did not want any of the travellers or their strange box to fall into Grimlord's hands. "Yes Adam, help them in any way possible and then convince them to return here. I have a feeling they may prove valuable allies. May the Power protect you!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Green!"

* * *

"Hi-yah!"

Something green landed between the Doctor and his opponent. A quick kick shoved of the attackers into one of the others. There was a surge of electrical energy and both were gone. The green figure then kicked two more constantly urging them to attack. The Doctor did likewise, impressed by the other fighter's skill, although personally he hated violence.

As the attackers dwindled, the green stranger drew a pistol from his side and squeezed off six shots, each a direct hit that served to put their opponents down. He ceased fire as the attackers fell, aimed slightly to the right, destroying something on the curbside. The remaining attackers flickered and promptly vanished from sight.

* * *

The sounds of fighting caused Trevor Park to abandon his reports and run outside, his gun drawn and ready. First thing he noticed was the blue box with the words Police Box written on the top. As far as he knew his precinct had yet to become a museum so that piece was out of context. Second thing he noticed was that the shouting had stopped. Looking around he noticed two figures, a man and a young girl who was out of breath having run around the block. The girl seemed to be studying something at the side of the curb, totally oblivious to the armed police officer.

"All right," Trevor said as he approached them, gun drawn just in case, you couldn't be too sure with all the wackos in Angel Grove. "Put your hands where I can see them without any sudden movements!"

"Of course Officer," the brown haired man said, "is there a problem?"

Taking a note of the Victorian frock coat that the man was wearing, the state of his clothes and the fact that he looked slightly out of breath, Detective Park had him marked as slightly mad.

"Just a few questions, Sir," Trevor replied, pleased that the duo appeared cooperative at the moment. He nodded to two officers that had followed him outside. "Bring them inside, we'll need to see what happened before deciding what to do with them. Have Edcott fetch the CCTV tape."

Trevor Park was nothing if not a good cop. He prided himself on his job and ensuring he got the whole truth. The men and the girl seemed to be his only source of answers at this time.

* * *

Sideways in time, on a displaced plane of existence, out of phase with the known universe, there was another Earth, an almost identical planet that waited in the darkness for the call of its master. This was where the Dragon Empire had been born. Evolution wise the Dragon People and their world had come first, but the apes on Earth had gone on to prosper, unaware of the plight of their more advanced neighbours. The other planet had been displaced around the same time that the asteroid that had marked the end of the dinosaurs had collided with Earth. It would one day be proven that the disaster had been caused by a larger chunk of the same asteroid.

It had been an accident that Drac'cuul had found the gateway to this lost planet, which had watched the rest of the universe evolve and had seen the corruption of its population whether they claimed to be good or evil. During the darkest times this planet's occupants had lived their lives, watching mankind, waiting for the day when they would be able to step into the normal universe and drag it back from the brink of moral decay. It had taken longer than their leader had thought, but in Drac'cuul they had had the means to stop the corruption, a sickening stain that they were protected from in their displaced condition. Unfortunately by allowing Drac'cuul to stay however briefly on their world, they too had been corrupted.

It was on this planet that Drac'cuul had been given his armour and had been charged with the duty of bringing new order to the cosmos and restoring the Dragon People to their rightful place. Over the years Drac'cuul had forgotten some of what he had learnt, twisting the teachings to match his hunger for power while retaining the belief that what he was doing was right. It was to this planet he now returned seeking followers to renew his mission.

In the barren wastes created by the continual shifts in gravity he found a sleeping island where at his command, an ancient force stirred. The occupants obeyed his will just as he had been told they would. His sword resonated through the Morphin Grid, singling out those who shared a particular totem and marking them as future followers: the Legions of the Black Dragon. The slumbering occupants of the island awakened at his command, their bodies heeding the call to arms while their minds were slower to awaken. Following their pledge of total and undying obedience to their chosen emissary, the four Sentinel Dragons returned to life.

Four plots of earth lifted from the ground to expose the decaying bones of Drac'cuul's servile creatures, so very like the Elemental Beasts the Rangers had fought just months before, but these were not the raw uncontrolled representations of nature's dark side, they were the destructive tools of a madman. From the pits left behind, fire ignited to consume the bones. As the fire ceased the rebirth began. Moving slowly at first but with ever-increasing speed the bones clicked back into place. Muscles formed in the joints followed by the scaled skin of the dragons. Smoke emerged from their nostrils, as they stood upright and looked to the sky. Raising their arms, their magic replenished the armour that had degenerated since their demise.

They transformed slowly, allowing the magic that made them appear as dragons faded away, shifting and shrinking their bodies back into their almost human appearances. Like many of Drac'cuul's followers they were capable of calling forth protection from the Morphin Grid, and unlike the Dragon Rangers of Earth, they didn't need Zords; when their bodies channelled all the power available to them, they became Zords.

Despite the similarities and in some cases it was impossible to tell the difference between humans evolved from apes and those whose ancestors were dragons save for a few small bonelike claw marks on the side of the face, in others the differences were glaringly obvious. The skin tone and colour amongst the Dragon People varied from race to race, some were seemingly less human and more monstrous while others appeared almost normal. Skin colour was not limited by a single pigment; oils secreted through the pores gave them a wide range of possibilities, even green and blue.

Of the four recent revivals, one was a deep red, similar to somebody left in the snow far too long while the second was a light blue with ice dripping from his nostrils where the smoke emerged, and the third was a dirty brown and much larger than the others; he was used to fighting without having to think. Finally their leader, the green-scaled dragon emerged. After checking themselves over the four dragons passed through the gateway that Drac'cuul and the Master had opened - for it seemed only the Master of the Black Dragon could lead these forces back into phase - for wherever their master wished them to be and where the fun would begin.

From deep space the Master and Drac'cuul watched the events unfolding on Earth. While Drac'cuul was preoccupied, the Master had searched the planet hoping to find an alternative to Drac'cuul's armour and a way to shorten their partnership.

* * *

Trevor Park was frustrated. Here he was wasting his time with an interview that should have ended by now, but for the refusal of the interviewee. He peered into the blue eyes of the man sitting opposite and wondered if there was anyway he could release him and pretend the whole affair had never happened. So far every answer the man had given only served to raise another question.

"Look," he tried again. "We know what happened, the CCTV footage was very clear. Skug attacks are rare in Angel Grove, but they happen from time to time. Just answer a few questions for the records and we can call it a day. Now, what is your name?"

"I am called the Doctor," the man replied.

"Your full name," Trevor insisted, gesturing to the sheet in front of him. "It's only for the records."

The Doctor thought for a moment. It had been a while since he had been asked to give his full name and had been unable to divert the question. "Doctor John Smith," he said finally, choosing the most common name he could think of.

"'Doctor John Smith' is it? If you're going to come up with a false name, at least decide on it before hand and choose something original."

"Well at college I was known as Theta Sigma," the Doctor confided.

"And where was that?" If he could find out the college, perhaps he could contact them and discover if anybody knew him.

"Gallifrey," the Doctor told him.

"Gallifrey, where on Earth is Gallifrey?" Trevor demanded.

"No where on Earth," the Doctor admitted. "Gallifrey is my home planet."

Trevor's mouth opened and closed again as he tried to think of a response. Part of him wanted to say that was an outright lie or that the Doctor was mad. However, this was Angel Grove, a place that attracted the strange and unusual. It stood to reason that an alien would turn up there. Although it would not be the first time that somebody had turned up claiming to be a dark lord or something just for the attention.

"So you're an alien. Why are you here, invasion?"

"A mechanical problem, my - er, transport broke down and we had to land here," the Doctor replied pleasantly, not willing to get into a discussion about alien invasions. He had seen more than enough of those. Still, that was a thought, a way to solve the problem.

"It seems that the young lady who was with you..."

"You mean Sam?" the Doctor asked enthusiastically, always happy to help the authorities with any small problems and generally transforming them into big problems. "A lovely girl, English you know."

"Well this Sam claims you're a time traveller and that you invited her to join you. Now which is it?"

"She told you all that?" the Doctor asked. "That's terrible! It hasn't happened yet. Not for another - six months."

"So which is it, are you a time traveller or an alien?" Detective Morris intervened. "Or are you a Power Ranger?"

"Why can't I be both?" he wondered out loud. "Wait, did you say Power Ranger?"

The Doctor was surprised. He had sensed something unusual on this Earth - for he was still not certain whether he was in his own universe or had somehow strayed sideways in time - but realised something must have gone wrong; things must have been very bad for the powers-that-be to sanction a Ranger team on Earth. Indeed Aquitar was the nearest Council planet and the Doctor could not see a team of Aquitians lasting very long on Earth. ~Maybe Triforia or Eltare,~ he thought. It was time to bring this interview to an end.

"Hey!" Morris shouted as the Doctor placed his hand into his pocket. It had taken the best part of an hour to empty those pockets and there was still stuff inside. The investigation had not warranted depriving the trio of oddballs of their clothing; there was actually no law against being attacked by extra-dimensional mutants.

"Just getting some identification for you Detective," the Doctor said. Now he knew the situation was serious he was determined to make a quick exit and speak to Zordon. Fishing out an identity card he handed it to the detective.

"Oh," Detective Morris said, his entire demeanour changing as he glanced at the psychic paper. The face on the pass bore no real resemblance to the man sitting opposite him, but the low level telepathic field meant he saw what the Doctor wanted him to see. "That explains everything."

Trevor took a look at the paper and after blinking a few times to clear his vision had to admit that everything seemed to be in order. "Sorry about that, Sir."

"Oh quite all right," the Doctor said. "Now go and call - General Norquist for me. There's a good chap."

Morris stared at the Doctor's face for a moment, but before he could carry out his instructions, there was a knock and Trevor opened the door to the interview room to see a younger officer waiting for him. He also noted his son, Adam standing to one side.

"Excuse me sir," Officer Hanker said. "Your son insisted on talking to you."

Nodding Trevor escorted Adam to a private room leaving the Doctor with Officer Hanker. "Okay Adam, what's this about?"

"Dad, you have to trust me on this. You need to let him go."

"Already taken care of," Detective Park answered. He saw the look of disbelief on his son's face and took pity on him. "Believe it or not, he hasn't committed any crime. We had to check his identity before we could release him, but since that's all in order... Hanker; release Doctor Smith and Miss Jones. My son has agreed to show them the way to the air base."

"Thanks Dad," Adam whispered.

Trevor regarded his son for a moment, searching for the right words. He couldn't find any words to describe how he felt, so he chose to say nothing. He changed his mind though as Adam guided the strange man to the door and called out: "Adam, be careful. You owe me an explanation later."

* * *

Power Chamber

As Adam returned with the Doctor, the alarms sounded. The other Rangers quickly appeared, gaining a raised eyebrow from the Doctor when he noted their age and the fact they were all from Earth.

"Rangers, it appears that Warlord Drac'cuul has regained some of his former powers and has sent his Sentinel Dragons to destroy Angel Grove," Zordon told them.

"We're on it Zordon!" Tommy said. He and Jason exchanged glances and almost laughed before growing serious. "It's Morphin Time!"

"Zeo Ranger I - Pink!"

"Zeo Ranger II - Yellow!"

"Zeo Ranger III - Blue!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Green!"

"Zeo Ranger V - Red!"

"Gold Ranger Power!"

"White Ranger Power!"

"Black Ranger Power!"

"Pink Ranger Power!"

"Blue Ranger Power!"

"Yellow Ranger Power!"

"Red Ranger Power!"

"Purple Ranger Power!"

"Green Ranger Power!"

"Zordon, so good to see you again. I thought you'd retired, become a monk or something," the Doctor said adjusting some of the sensitive scanning equipment.

"Grid Master," Zordon corrected.

"Well old friend it seems you've been busy since my last visit," the Doctor conceded.

"And you have changed many times as well, Doctor," Zordon replied with a smile. "It is good to see you again. The people of Eltare still speak your name. A shame they never had the opportunity to see you after the battle."

"At least I am still intact," the Doctor said defensively. He stopped joking, sensing the pain that comment brought. "Unable to leave that time warp then?"

"If I were to leave there is only one place I could go," Zordon answered truthfully. "I am not prepared to make that journey yet; my Rangers need me and I cannot abandon them."

"No, no of course not," the Doctor replied. Good old Zordon, always thinking about the greater good. "Oh, this is Samantha Jones, a good friend of mine."

During his time in the Command Center and later the Power Chamber Zordon had always noted the faces of those who noticed him for the first time. All the Rangers had been shocked, sometimes even in awe of a vast head floating in a plasma tube. Sam's reactions were much the same although she was quick to cover her surprise.

*Still picking up the pretty ones I see,* Zordon commented to the Doctor via the telepathic link they had created during their previous meeting.

*Alas I don't think I can ever let her go,* the Doctor admitted, showing Zordon the memory of his recent encounters.

"I am honoured to meet you both," Zordon said out loud. "I remember meeting the Doctor's previous companion and I am grateful to know he still has the benefit of friends to keep him out of trouble."

"Eltare?" Sam asked looking at Zordon but directing the question to anybody who would answer.

As normal Sam's inquisitive nature was emerging just as it did first time she forced the Doctor to take her on a trip. She had matured a lot since then. Having faced death on many occasions, she had hardened into a better person. Sam was also in the unique position of being six months outside of her time zone; to her this was the past.

"It's a planet on the far side of the galaxy," the Doctor explained. "One of the seats of government and home of the  
Grid Masters."

"And the Grid Masters are?"

"Magic users," he clarified.

"Oh," Sam said. "I thought you didn't believe in magic."

The Doctor didn't answer although for once he wished Sam wasn't quite so observant. As a Time Lord he wasn't supposed to believe in magic. To the contrary he was supposed to be opposed to magic in any shape and form due to a genetic imprint that was a part of being a Time Lord. Something had changed, much the same way as he had lost his shadow, and he couldn't help but feel that it was not a good thing.

In the past he had always justified his interactions with Zordon and the Grid Masters, choosing to believe that since their so-called magic could be linked to an extra-dimensional source it was scientific rather than mystical. Or had he? Had he really known Zordon, the  
Grid Masters and their enemies, or was this just another memory that had been implanted for his benefit? He had experienced such a phenomenon recently, a memory added that he knew had appeared suddenly.

He sighed. Things had been so simple before he had energy

"I take it there is a reason you chose Earthlings to become Rangers?" the Doctor asked.

"You know as well as I what the human spirit is capable of," Zordon replied. "That is why you protect this planet. I have watched for ten thousand years and have seen them grow into the society they have today. Besides, Aquitians would not last very long on this world. We tried, but they had to return home. Rita Repulsa, Lord Zedd and the Machine Empire have been trying to take over this planet for a while now."

"And I thought Daleks and Vampires were the worst that could happen," Sam stated.

Zordon remained silent for a moment, reaching out his senses to touch Sam's mind and was surprised by what he found. The Doctor's memories were correct, Samantha was indeed the perfect travelling companion. She was brave, intelligent, good company and possessed an absolute belief in the Doctor.

* * *

The red Sentinel Dragon opened its mouth and let loose a burst of flame to incinerate the nearby cars and buildings. It had been years since the last time he and his brothers had been free to serve Drac'cuul. The time added to his homicidal nature causing him to enjoy the destruction even more.

Looking around he could see his fellow dragons were enjoying the activity even more than he was. Moving toward the harbour district, he stopped. There at the bottom of the harbour he could sense another dragon, older and more powerful than the four Sentinel Dragons put together.

The four Sentinel Dragons started to feel fear for the first time since their release. Here was perhaps the one thing that could stop them unless they acted immediately.

"Sentice, freeze the waters and let our adversary remain in his grave," the lead Sentinel instructed.

The blue scaled dragon known, as Sentice stood straight and pointed at the water below. Unlike most of his fellow dragons he could breathe more than just fire. Opening his mouth, he breathed towards the docks, freezing the water, the machinery, the buildings and the workers. Breathing in for a second blast Sentice felt something strike his back. Looking around he saw Red Zeo picked himself up off the ground where he had bounced after striking the dragon.

"LOOKS LIKE SOME LITTLE MONKEYS HAVE DECIDED TO PLAY WITH FIRE," Sentire, the red skinned dragon bellowed as he took in the Rangers assembled with weapons drawn ready for combat. "I THINK THEY NEED TO COOL OFF A BIT."

Sentice was only too happy to oblige, shooting another blast of ice at the Rangers, this time the droplets forming into projectiles.

"Golden Shield Wave!" Gold Ranger called, swinging the Golden Power Staff around over his head and generating a burst of energy similar to the Gold Rush.

"Sentaire, take them!" Sentire shouted.

Like Goldar, Sentaire had wings when he wanted them. Unlike Goldar, he was still in the habit of using them in combat. Flying forward he passed over the energy shield and sank his claws into the Gold Ranger's armour. Flying off, the dragon lifted him into the air.

"Blade Blasters!" Red Ranger called. "Fire!"

Eight blasts illuminated the sky as the Rangers tried to bring the Dragon down without hurting their teammate.

"Zordon, is the hop scotch teleport working?" Blue Zeo asked.

"Yes Rocky," Alpha replied.

Without a word the Blue Zeo Ranger teleported onto the back of the dragon. Drawing his Zeo Sword he stabbed the dragon in the back. Not hard enough to kill, the blow made the dragon howl in pain and drop its prisoner. As Gold Ranger teleported away Blue Zeo was thrown to the ground, landing with a sick crack. In a flash of light the Blue Zeo Ranger was gone.

"Trini, teleport back to the Power Chamber and make sure Rocky's okay," Red Ranger ordered. "David, go as well in case they need you."

"Hellfire!" Green Ranger called, pointing his sword at Sentice. Green fire shot from the blade engulfing the dragon in its power.

ROAR!

The fourth Sentinel Dragon had not wasted time fighting the Rangers face to face. Instead it had moved behind them. With a loud battle cry it ran into its prey, knocking Rangers left and right as it made its way through their ranks. It had grown a razor sharp tail and used it to knock the Rangers to the ground.

"Time to bring in the heavy artillery," Green Ranger decided. "Battle Armour - Activate!"

"Battle Armour - Activate!" Red Ranger shouted in agreement.

When the Morphin Rangers had retrieved their new powers, Ninjor had taken the opportunity to throw in as many experimental features as possible. The Battle Armour was just one of those new features and had been added to the Green and Red Ranger powers.

At their command heavily armoured suits dropped from the sky, opening at the back to allow them to step inside.

"Power Weapons ready," Pink Ranger commanded, drawing her bow.

"Zeo Power Weapons!" Red Zeo called in agreement.

The Rangers charged, their weaponry bouncing off the dragon's armoured hide.

"Zeo I Fire Cloud!" Pink Zeo called.

"Cosmic Cannon!" Black Ranger yelled after missing Sentire on two occasions with his Power Axe. Switching the axe to Cosmic Cannon mode, he fired a single shot to knock Sentire away to the spot where Green Zeo and Purple Ranger were waiting.

"You hurt my friends, I hurt you!" Green Zeo shouted angrily. "Zeo Power Hatchets!"

"Zeo Power Nunchuks!" Yellow Zeo added.

Slipping the chain from the Nunchuks around the dragon's neck she held him there until Green Zeo landed a double blow between the eyes.

Red Zeo and Red Ranger targeted Sentaire next. Between Jason's Battle Armour and Tommy's rage the dragon was quickly forced onto the defensive.

"Time for a Gold Rush!"

The cry was as much of a shock to the Rangers as the dragons. They turned top where the Gold Ranger was standing, Golden Power Staff outstretched in his hand. In response the dragon struck Gold Ranger across the chest with its tail.

* * *

The Master's TARDIS

"This is going better than expected," Drac'cuul commented.

"Of course it is," the Master replied. "Two Rangers injured, the White and Yellow Rangers are busy with their blue friend and Adam..." He took a moment to look at the way the Green Zeo Ranger was fighting. There was a lack of concentration and skill caused by his anger. "Adam seems to be having problems as well. Tell the Sentinels to take out the Purple Ranger or Yellow Zeo Ranger next."

This was better than the Master had hoped. The Zeo team was lacking in numbers and the Master intended to take Adam out without hurting him. ~Losing Rocky was bad enough, but losing Tanya or Aisha as well?~

"Maybe we should step this battle up a bit," Drac'cuul suggested, closing his eyes to channel his magic through his sword. "Now my Sentinels, show them your true magnificence!"

Flames circled the four Sentinel Dragons as they started to grow.

* * *

Trini, David and Rocky appeared in the Power Chamber at the same time, the latter barely conscious and too distracted by pain to know where he was. The Doctor was quickly next to them, using his basic medical skills to help stabilize the boy.

"Zordon, will he be all right?" Trini asked.

"The back injury he received from Minion's forces was aggravated during the fall," Zordon said. "Although the Power will prevent permanent injury and his Ranger healing will speed up recovery, he will need to rest."

"Why don't you two return to the battle?" the Doctor suggested. "We'll look after your friend."

"Back to action!" Yellow and White Ranger called together.

"The truth now?" the Doctor asked looking at Zordon.

"Rocky is risking permanent damage to his back by remaining a Ranger. However, it is his choice to take that risk and I will respect his decision. For now his injuries will heal although they would heal faster if his powers were in standby mode. I fear at this point that the disruption to his system might kill him if we were to do it for him."

There was a fondness in Zordon's voice as he spoke about the young human. It was obvious that Zordon cared for those in his care. The Doctor could hear the underlying concern and decided to try to help.

Digging through his extremely long pockets, he finally found the small whistle he was looking for. Putting it to his lips, he sent a small subspace signal to his oldest companion. The signal had been received inside the TARDIS. A telepathic link established to alter the controls for a short trek through space. Over his lives the Doctor had finally managed to control the short leaps necessary to move the TARDIS to the Power Chamber. With its gears still groaning the TARDIS appeared in the Power Chamber.

"Still a police box?" Zordon asked when the TARDIS arrived.

"I haven't had time to fix it," the Doctor lied.

In truth he had given up attempting to repair the Chameleon Circuit on his TARDIS after his last attempt had failed. He had thought about taking it back to Gallifrey for repair. After all, as ex-president of Gallifrey and the Time Lord who was responsible for the destruction of the Daleks, the Doctor had a few favours he could call on. Sadly if the Time Lords were to get their hands on his TARDIS there was no guarantee that they would return it.

"Wait here," he instructed. "The atmosphere is too poisonous for humans, but I should be able to find what I need." He returned with what at first glance resembled a gramophone. "A sonic projector," he explained. "If I can find the right frequency, perhaps we can switch his powers into standby without the shock."

"Are you sure it's safe bringing the TARDIS here, I thought you wanted to fix it first?" Sam asked.

"Have a little faith," the Doctor told her. "There, a little variation and we have a sonic stasis field. He'll remain barely morphed long enough for his body to repair itself, but without the stress of being fully morphed and without the need to risk injuring his neck by removing the helmet."

Only Zordon noticed him cross his fingers.

"Relax Rocky," the Doctor whispered.

As the Blue Zeo Ranger relaxed his pain faded. Slowly his body relaxed and the Blue Zeo Ranger's helmet appeared to vanish.

* * *

The four dragons grew their individuality showing as they did so. Sentaire's green skinned grew thicker. His powerful wings grew larger as his mouth became more pointed. The legs and torso thickened with sharp talons forming on his feet and hands.

Sentice also grew wings. Not the big powerful wings of the air dragon, but the short and stumpy wings that allowed him to swim through water. Fins developed on the feet and front paws. A large blue horn emerged from the tip of its nose.

Senterra formed into a quadruped, its scaled back giving it strength. His tail elongated with a sharp point on the end, the claws on the tip of his four stubby legs grew longer and the head became hinged, to attack from any angle. The Rangers knew if he dragged them down there would be no way back up.

Sentire underwent a major change. When he had transformed, he was a large red dragon with a yellow underbelly. A second head had grown into place as well as two very powerful wings. Claws grew from his feet and a lethal triangle formed at the tip of his tail. Through enlarged nostrils he blew jets of smoke, his two horns glowing with energy.

"We need Ninja Zord power now!" the Morphin Rangers called.

"Let's show him them the power of the Ninja MegaFalconzord!" Red Ranger instructed.

"Ninja MegaFalconzord Power Up!"

"Ninja Battlezord Power Up!" Green and Purple Ranger added.

The Crane started to fold to form the head while at the same time the Frog transformed to become the legs and the Bear converted to become the Ninja MegaFalconzord's upper body. The already modified Ape and Wolf joined onto the Bear to form the arms as the Crane linked on to become the head. Then the whole upper body joined onto the Frog as the Falcon Zord linked onto the back. Hands formed over the Ape and Wolf's heads.

The Panther Zord stood on its hind legs. The head rotated downwards to become the chest and the front paws became the arms. The Hawk Zord's wings and head folded into the body as the Hawk Zord joined onto the shoulders of the Panther to become the head of the Ninja Battlezord. The Panther's tail converted into a Power Sword as Purple and Green Rangers slid into the cockpit ready for action.

The four dragons responded instantly. Senterra swiped the Megazord with his tail whilst Sentire and Sentice delivered a barrage of fire and ice. Super heated joints rapidly cooled and frozen armour instantly melted, transforming the Zords into crippled war machines. Sentaire swooped from the sky lifting the Ninja MegaFalconzord into the air and dropping it to the floor.

"Zeo Zord V!" Red Zeo called.

Once seated inside the phoenix Tommy targeted Sentaire's wings.

"Jason, we need to split them up," he said moments before an ice blast froze the controls and the Phoenix crashed to the ground.

"We've got to get it together guys or Zordon's going to be looking for some new Rangers," Jason noted.

"Zeo Rangers, return to the Power Chamber immediately."

* * *

Power Chamber

"Zeo Rangers, return to the Power Chamber immediately."

Rocky's eyes snapped open. All pain was gone. Somehow the Ranger healing had been working overtime and his back had healed to the extent where what had been a serious break was now little more than a bruise that would be subdued when morphed. He had heard Zordon's words and knew it was time to get back to work.

The Doctor and Sam had not been idle during their time in the Power Chamber. Whilst Zordon had been telling Samantha stories about Rangers of Earth, the Doctor had been searching for some equipment to rig an extractor fan for his TARDIS.

"Who built those vehicle Zords?" he asked as he re-entered the chamber.

"Billy," Zordon replied.

"Billy, as in William Cranston?" the Doctor asked.

"You have heard of him?" Zordon asked. He knew the skills of the Blue Ranger were well respected, but to have reached all the way to Gallifrey was amazing.

"The whole Earth will, one day," the Doctor promised, giving in to the urge to drop little hints about other people's futures. It was a nice party piece, but also very dangerous at times.

Further discussion was cut short as Trey, Tanya, Tommy, Kat and Adam reappeared in the Power Chamber. A quick reunion took place between the Rangers and the now recovered Rocky.

"Rangers, I am sorry to call you away in the middle of battle, but it was necessary to do so. I have had time to analyse the data from the Viewing Screen and your Zords, and combined with news I have received in the last few days I have been able to learn the nature of this enemy. Observe."

The image appeared of Drac'cuul as he had once been appeared on the screen, back when he had been the dark slayer of thousands of innocents, protected by armour that granted him protection and aided his ability to control the people of Dragoria.

"I believe that Drac'cuul has arrived on Earth," Zordon explained. "If he has already retrieved his sword, a mystical blade that allows him to control those connected through a blood link to the Dragorian Empire or through magic to the Dragon, and will no doubt seek out the other portions of his armour. Now though he appears to be more concerned about revenge against this planet for my testimony at his trial."

"So we stop his dragons and then find Drac'cuul," Tanya said.

"No Tanya, as long as Drac'cuul is capable of controlling the dragons, they cannot be defeated. Destroying or gaining possession of his sword is the only way to stop them."

"There's only one problem," Adam noted. "We don't know where Drac'cuul is."

"We do not know his location, but he has been on the planet at least once in the recent past. Despite leaving, his ability to control the Sentinel Dragons even with his sword is extremely limited; his maximum distance from Earth cannot be further than the Moon and since he cannot breathe in space, he must be in a ship."

"May I see?" the Doctor asked. He started messing with the controls, searching for energy readings that matched those that Zordon had offered earlier. "There's something out there," he commented. He frowned. "Odd, not many vessels come with temporal shielding."

The Rangers looked at the image of a meteor on the screen wondering what the Doctor was talking about. Sam was the first to notice, her mind was still open to the possibilities that existed when travelling with the Doctor. Despite the series of minor mishaps that had plagued their adventures, she still maintained absolute faith in the Doctor.

"It's a fake," she said. "Like putting a large box around a smaller box and forgetting to close the lid fully."

"Alpha, where are the sub-dimensional scanner controls?" the Doctor asked.

"Here," the little android replied.

Moving to the control panel the Doctor began some rapid rewiring while Alpha manipulated the controls with a skill that could only be accomplished by being a part of the machinery that made it operate.

"And a quick alteration to the stability signal unit," the Doctor muttered. "And we should begin to see what we shall see."

Turning the power up the Doctor repeated a trick he had learnt in the art of decrypting temporal signatures. For a short time a grey box replaced the image.

"And there's the answer," he announced.

"What is it?"

"A TARDIS," the Doctor said darkly, exchanging glances with Zordon.

"I thought the Time Lords stayed on Gallifrey?" Sam asked.

"Not all of them," Doctor corrected. "There are some who choose to travel the Universe and see the sights. And a few more who have been banished or are wanted criminals. And since most of those who do so have a less-than-legitimate reason for staying hidden, I think it's safe to say that whoever is in there is not on our side."

* * *

Meanwhile the battle had taken a turn for the worse and the Morphin Rangers were struggling.

"Shogun Megazord!" White Ranger called from inside the battered Ninja MegaFalconzord.

In the distance the eight Shogun Zords started their run across Angel Grove, transforming as they did so into the oversized Megazord. The Black and Purple Shogun Zords transformed into the legs, the Blue Zord creating the lower torso, the Green and Pink Zords merging into the upper torso, Yellow and Red Zords forming the arms leaving the White Shogun Zord to fold into the head.

Teleporting to their new Zord, the Rangers targeted Sentice. Ice blasts reflected off the hardened body of the Zord.

"Shogun Spin!"

The powerful Zord started to spin like a top building potential energy for future release. The natural movement allowed by the spin push the Zord towards the monster. Both its hands grabbed the monster as its increased momentum pushed it into the sky. With Sentice now stretched over its head the Megazord stopped, turned upside down and dove into the ground. All the stored energy was released in all its explosive force. The Megazord stood to see the remains of the monster struggle back to its feet.

"Shogun Megazord Sabre!"

The flaming sword made a swift movement from left to right. As the sword arced its way back to its starting position, Senterra interfered, driving his tail into the path of the sword. The flames extinguished as they hit the heavily armoured hide. The distraction was enough for the ice dragon to drive his horn into the Megazord's chest.

The four dragons teamed up for a moment battering the Zord before throwing it to the ground near its Ninja counterparts.

* * *

It had taken a few minutes and resembled a piece of modern art, but the Doctor assured the Rangers the parts they had fitted together were more than adequate to force the other TARDIS to land on Earth.

"I still don't see why you need a tea bag," Sam said. "Or the hot water and sugar."

"For a cup of tea," the Doctor replied, shoving a kettle in her direction. "Helps me think."

Sam had seen the Doctor create some pretty impressive equipment before, but this was a bit beyond even her unlimited faith. She knew the Doctor was a genius even if he was not the inventor he had been a few decades ago.

"You'll see Sam," the Doctor reassured her, sensing her doubt. To the Rangers he added, "Shouldn't you be getting ready?"

"Okay, starting the pulsar array now," the Doctor told them. "Just have to reverse the polarity of the neutron flow... and there we go."

"Coordinates set," Alpha reported. "Teleporting now!"

"Back to Action!"

* * *

Far from the Power Chamber the computer on board the Master's TARDIS received the first burst of a subspace signal, a low rate greeting requesting the machine to open a communication port. It replied according to its software, requesting processor identification while triggering a small alert light on the console for its operator's attention. The request sent, it opened its receiver ready for a reply. That was when the Doctor's device sent its message, a complex signal that required more of the TARDIS's runtime than it could afford.

The system dedicated its resources to handshaking the communication, allowing a second simpler command to slip through on the frequency needed to draw the TARDIS away from its orbit and direct it to a new location that the Doctor had chosen. And the first thing the Master knew that something was wrong was when the center column of his console started moving and all attempts to change course were blocked by a software crash.

A TARDIS grown in the pocket dimensions on Gallifrey would have been immune to such a ploy, but the Master was using a machine he had built himself using segments of his original machine and replacing the sentient core with an almost intelligent computer. The Doctor hadn't known this, but was relying on the idea that the owner of the TARDIS would investigate the source of the signal.

* * *

"Arrrrgh, damn it!" Red Ranger swore as Sentire released the tail of the Tyrannosaurus and sending him crashing into the Raptor.

Having failed with the speed of the Ninja Zords and the size of the Shogun Zord the Rangers had chosen to try endurance. With Dragonzord trapped under a sheet of ice Green Ranger had joined Purple Ranger in the cockpit of the Stegosaurus.

"Spike Attack!" Purple Ranger shouted.

The spikes of the back of the Stegosaurus glowed as the tail fired at the lead dragon. Meanwhile the Triceratops was charging at Senterra, Mastodon was using its freeze cannon of Sentaire with Pterodactyl diverting the winged dragon's attacks and Sabre-toothed Tiger pouncing on Senterra allowing the Raptor Zord time to attack.

"Let's show him some Megazord power!" Red Ranger called as the dragons slowly regained the advantage. "Bring them together!"

Immediately the Pterodactyl, Mastodon and Triceratops reverted from their current forms into the tank like Zords they had been during the original Rangers' time. Gone were the powerful moving legs or wings to be replaced by fixed wings and tank treads. The Sabre-toothed Tiger lowered itself to the ground, its tail end transforming to create a socket for the body. The back end of the Triceratops also folded over and the two Zords moved together.

Next the Mastodon transformed and split to form the cannons and front shield, joining the front and rear of the Tyrannosaurus. At the same time the Tyrannosaurus joined with the Triceratops and Sabre-toothed Tiger as the Pterodactyl slotted into place behind the Tyrannosaurus's head.

"Fire!" the Rangers called together.

The Dinotank stopped dead and fired. Sentaire soared skyward, his tail on fire, Sentire folded his wings to protect himself, Sentice was knocked to the ground under the intense fire and Senterra just stood taking the worst of the assault and showing little reaction.

"Switch to Battle Mode!" Red Ranger ordered.

The Pterodactyl detached from the Dinotank. The tank manoeuvred so it was standing up on the Triceratops and Sabre-toothed Tiger, which now formed the legs. The Tyrannosaurus's head folded down to reveal the face of the Dino Megazord. The arms formed by the Mastodon hung by its side as the Pterodactyl slid into place to form the chest plate.

"We need the Power Sword!" The other Rangers called in agreement.

"We need to divide our efforts to better utilise our capabilities," Billy said.

"Right," Jason said, guessing what his friend meant. "David and Aisha go back to the Shogun Zords, Zack and Kim can take the Thunderzords, Billy and Trini try to get the Ninja Zords back in the fight; Sam and I will handle the Dino Zords."

"Right!" the others agreed.

"Thunder Zords - Chariot Formation!" Pink and Black Rangers called.

The recently created Thunder Zords surged into life. As the Lion, Griffin, Firebird and Unicorn came together to form the Assault Team, The Minotaur and White Tiger Zords moved in front, strong chains linking them to the trailing Spider Zord on which the Assault Team landed.

Meanwhile the Red Dragon converted to humanoid mode and slotted into the waiting chariot, staff pointed forward like a long lance as the two lead Zords dragged them into battle. Once again the Rangers attacked and once again their Zords were crushed by the teamwork among the four Dragons.

"Red Dragon Thunderzord Power!" Red Ranger called, noting it was the only Zord still able to move. "Now it's time to make this battle dragon versus dragon."

"I'm with you Jason!" Green Ranger called. "Dragonzord!"

Holding his sword aloft Sam heard the familiar tune of the Dragon Dagger floating over the harbour. Quietly he hoped this was going to work.

* * *

The Zeo Rangers arrived in the desert outside of Angel Grove. As they readied themselves there was a loud groaning as the unknown TARDIS was forcibly relocated.

The door opened and a disfigured being led Drac'cuul outside.

"Ah, the Zeo Rangers," Warlord Drac'cuul sneered. "Six of Zordon's little children."

The now partially powered warlord drew his sword and axe, and concentrated his will in order to summon more warriors to serve him. A small clutch of eggs appeared in front of him, hatching and expanding into red armoured Dragorian Soldiers. He pointed his sword at the enemy and his servants attacked.

As the Rangers threw themselves into battle, quickly learning not to stay still long enough to be made a target of the warriors' fire breath, Drac'cuul led his own attack, striking Pink and Yellow Zeo from behind before pitting his skills against Green Zeo. As he fought, experience and skill making up for his lack of raw power, it was clear that the younger combatant had an advantage. When Adam switched off with Trey, the Gold Ranger put up an even stronger defence, Golden Power Staff blocking the axe while Green and Blue Zeo dealt with the remaining Dragorians.

Red Zeo found himself pitted a larger warrior as he tried to approach Drac'cuul's companion. Armed with a large spear it was clearly the leader of the small army. The two combatants faced off, each a capable fighter and neither willing to give the other the upper hand.

"Zeo V Power Sword!"

While the Dragorian's spear gave it a greater reach, Tommy was able to land a few blows from the tip of his blade. When the Dragorian made the mistake of using the wooden shaft of his weapon to block a blow, Tommy energised the blade, cutting the spear in half. He took advantage of his opponent's surprise to land a kick to the Dragorian's chest, knocking the warrior down. A punch to the face kept him there.

Pink and Yellow Zeo were back on their feet, assisting Green and Blue Zeo to keep the weaker yet more numerous Dragorians at bay. As they finished their opponents, they joined Gold Ranger who was growing frustrated with Drac'cuul after the villain had displayed that he was just as capable an opponent up close as he was at a distance.

Fighting together the Rangers' slowly gained the advantage. The Zeo V Power Sword proved no match for the warlord's enchanted blade, though with the assistance of Blue Zeo's Arm Blades, he managed to slice through the wooden shaft of the axe. A kick to the throat did prove effective, stunning Drac'cuul long enough for Red and Blue Zeo to deliver a low punch to the stomach.

"Zeo III Power Spin!" Blue Zeo called from close range.

His attack allowed Green and Pink Zeo to grab Drac'cuul's arms so Yellow Zeo could unleash her powered blow.

"Zeo II Power Punch!"

Another Power Punch from Green Zeo followed along with a succession of Kung Fu kicks as the aggression built up over the day was released. Anger driving him forward, the Green Zeo Ranger found new strength and the warlord found himself on the defensive. Lacking his own suit of special armour and having refused to wear the standard armour to protect himself, he decided that escape was the better option. But as the Rangers closed in it appeared that capture was inevitable. As a combined blast from the Rangers' Zeo Pistols deflected from his blade he was pushed further back. Soon he would be disarmed and taken back into custody.

That was when the Master chose to act, directing his TARDIS to unleash a stream of electrical energy that stunned the Rangers long enough for Drac'cuul to gather his wits and join his comrade. The two villains moved inside the TARDIS and sealed the doors.

* * *

The Power Chamber

"The Master," the Doctor whispered.

There was something in his voice that Sam rarely heard from the Doctor: hate. Whatever his relation to the Doctor, this creature had done something to earn himself the Doctor's absolute loathing. There was also a hint of disbelief.

"Do you know him?" she asked.

"It can't be him," the Doctor reasoned. "He fell into the Eye of Harmony, there's no way he could have released himself unless... last time I saw him I had crossed into my own past... we must still be out of phase."

Somehow that didn't make sense; the Master was his nemesis, they had to stand on an equal footing and the Master he had faced during his fourth incarnation was not a match for his current self. On the other hand the last time he had seen the Master, had been when the evil genius had attempted to capture his granddaughter; Susan had escaped and in the process the Master had received a mortal wound that he naturally blamed on the Doctor instead of the near child who had inflicted it. That Master had been an incarnation that the Doctor had later encountered years before.

He shook his head. Sometimes keeping up with regenerative cycles was extremely difficult. That was why Time Lords normally greeted each other with a telepathic burst.

"Doctor, who is it?" Sam asked more forcefully than she intended, her words having the desired effect of snapping the Doctor out of his deliberations. She knew exactly what she needed to say to keep him focussed. That was why she was his ideal assistant. It saddened him to think that he had created her to be that way and the because of him she no longer had a life of her own.

"His name is the Master," he told her, "a mathematical genius of the first order, a homicidal egomaniac who wants nothing more than to rework this universe to meet his vision at the cost of freewill. If he is helping this warlord of yours then he has something to gain from the deal."

"Is he a Time Lord then?" she asked.

"He was a Time Lord, I'm not sure what he is now. I can't be sure about his TARDIS either. The Master has made so many changes to himself over the years, it wouldn't be surprising to know he'd altered his TARDIS too."

There was a trace of admiration in his voice as he spoke, remembering the friend he had known during the old days before events had made them enemies. But there was no going back, the Master had gone too far in his quest for power and the Doctor could no longer rationalise such acts as being purely self serving. The Master had joined the forces of darkness, something that as a Time Lord he was forbidden to consider; by taking a side in the battle between good and evil the Master had forced his fellow Time Lords to take a stance on an issue they refused to acknowledge.

The Doctor thought about what he could do, but there was only one option. The Master had stepped outside the Laws of the Old Houses, it was the Doctor's duty to eliminate him.

"We'll deal with him later," the Doctor decided as he watched the Master's TARDIS depart. "For now let's concentrate on those dragons."

"Alpha, teleport the Zeo Rangers to join the others," Zordon rumbled.

"Right away Zordon," Alpha replied. "They can use Pyramidas to recharge the Zords."

* * *

Angel Grove

The four dragons felt the difference as their power faded. The Red and Green Rangers now in their own dragons were winning. Dragon Zord had thrown Senterra away and was dealing with Sentice. Red Dragon had grounded Sentaire and was drawing Sentire away. If the rangers could get their Zords back online, they stood a chance of victory.

"Pyramidas, Power Up!"

The Rangers looked up, recognizing the voice as Trey and the Zeo Rangers returned to the battle. The four Sentinel Dragons looked up as the large Zord flew overhead as if sensing that their end had come.

"Energising Zord, now!" Gold Ranger called.

A bolt of energy left the Carrier Zord's apex, focussing onto the Megazords' solar energy collectors. The energy that struck the fallen Zords revitalised their reserves.

"Mega Dragonzord, full power!"

"Ninja MegaFalconzord, power up!"

"Thunder Megazord, full power!"

"Tiger Zord, Warrior Mode!" Saba called taking control of the Zord while David was occupied elsewhere.

"Shogun Megazord, full power!"

The Dino Megazord and Dragonzord teleported to where Sentice was lying. The Dragonzord opened up to fit around the Megazord. Green and Red Ranger took aim and prepared for what was to follow.

The Thunder Megazord and Tiger Zord teleported to where Senterra was waiting. Thunder Saber drawn, the Pink and Black Ranger waited to make their move.

Waiting inside the Ninja MegaFalconzord, Yellow and Blue Ranger checked their systems. Ensuring the remote control for the Ninja Battlezord was, they were ready to take out Sentaire.

White and Purple Rangers crossed their fingers, hoping that this time their attempt to finish the dragon would succeed. The Shogun Megazord was more intimidating than ever.

"Here they come," White Ranger remarked.

Silence reigned across the battlefield. Everybody knew what was about to happen. Nobody wanted it to happen, but the dragons charged and the fight began.

The Ninja MegaFalconzord took off after Sentaire. A brief air-to-air battle took place before the Zord caught the dragon and threw him to the ground. The Ninja Battlezord was quick to follow up, using its sword to keep the dragon in position. When the time was right, Billy and Trini initiated the power dive, using their Zord's two-fist finisher to destroy the air dragon.

Black and Pink Ranger were not far behind, after nearly demolishing the dragon with a punch, the Thunder Megazord powered up the Thunder Sabre and the Tiger Zord added its own energy blast. Senterra barely had time to blink.

"Dino Ultrazord!" Green and Red Ranger called.

The Mega Dragonzord stepped into Titanus and the giant Zord fired. Sentice tried to counter with ice seconds before exploding.

With only Sentire left the other Rangers teleported to the Shogun Megazord. The dragon of fire put up a good fight at one point incinerating the ground from under the colossal machine. It was then that the Rangers' initiated their spin attack, sucking the dragon's flames into a vortex where the energy quickly dissipated.

The Dragon drew back as if waiting for the final blow. In the end destruction came not from the massive Zord the dragon had been fighting, but from the Zeo Ultrazord that had formed while it was distracted.

"Fire!"

The battle was over and the Rangers had emerged victorious.

* * *

Power Chamber

"Congratulations Rangers," Zordon said once Aisha had been recovered. "You have prevented Drac'cuul's dragons from succeeding. You have also caused Drac'cuul to retreat, a sign that he is not as strong as he once claimed. I believe this will prove useful in the future; the Dragorian Empire has moved on since the time that Drac'cuul served as their overlord. Even now he only commands those that fell in his name before his incarceration. The others will not follow a weak leader, even if he can force the remains of their ancestors' to obey him."

"In times to come the Dragorians will expand their empire, colonising empty worlds as they go. They will prove an important power in the next century," the Doctor explained, his tone respectful. He was a dignitary of the Dragorian Empire and had reason to admire the race they would become once they finally escaped the madness of Drac'cuul.

"It's not over yet," Tommy told them. "This wasn't a one off attack, Drac'cuul held back."

"That's right," Aisha agreed, "he didn't come to Earth until we forced him to."

"Meaning he's planning something," the Zack finished.

"And since the Master wouldn't have saved him unless he had needed him, there must be something they want," the Doctor said softly.

"In other words," Kimberly said, sparing a glance at the Viewing Screen, "this isn't over."

* * *

Dragoria

"I have failed you," Drac'cuul admitted, looking out where the audience would be had he been standing on a podium addressing them instead of transmitting his image to not only them, but to those who would hear his voice across the universe. "I underestimated the enemy, I allowed the Sentinel Dragons to underestimate the enemy. I believed that as children they would be weak, I was wrong. They breed their children strong on Earth."

He looked down then threw his head up with what he hoped was new determination appearing on his features as he allowed a small amount of passion to enter his words.

"No more! We will not fail again because we will never again underestimate the enemy. Loyal subjects of this great empire are already in position, even in my absence they have taken positions in the political, financial and military powers of the universe. Even now they await the signal to commence operations. Then we will bring down the existing system, throwing aside the forces of good and evil that are responsible for the corruption. The past is behind us and the future will be ours by right of conquest."

The sound of clapping filled the TARDIS as the Master deactivated the transmitter. He looked up to find a very amused Time Lord. "Touching speech Drac'cuul, but regardless of the pretty words, your plan failed. So now, we do things my way."

The Master laughed as he walked away from his ally. True he needed the warlord for his plan to succeed, but sooner or later Drac'cuul's usefulness would be at an end. He sobered as the pain returned with a vengeance. There would be time for insane laughter later. For now they had work to do.

"I managed to find the rest of your armour, but I would advise you to retrieve some of you more powerful warriors first since you appear incapable of defeating the Rangers without it," he said, quietly adding: "and I cannot be rid of you until it is in my possession."

**End of Part **


	14. Rise of the Black Dragon Part Three - Un

Disclaimer: Power Rangers, Doctor Who and any other shows featured in this fanfic do not belong to me, but rather to their respective copyright owners. In addition parts of this fic have been inspired and directly borrowed from the Fatal Fury movie Armour of Mars and scenes surrounding the Galactic Council and certain confrontations were borrowed from Ryuranger's Ultimate Power Rangers series. The fight scene between Ken and Ryu is something I remember from Daniel Sauve and John Latu's Ninja Zeo series.

Author's Note: This is the third and concluding part of the Black Dragon storyline and is part of the ongoing Conquest of Evil series.

Rise of the Black Dragon Part Three - Undefeatable?

Antarctica

The placement of a structure in the otherwise barren landscape had been a talking point throughout the scientific community for months. It had only been recently that funding for an expedition became available. Geophysics results taken from a satellite had revealed the remains of a settlement. Further research had revealed a set of deep underground ruins that appeared to resemble a large pyramid.

The team led by Doctor Smith, a scientist better known for digging up the remains of dinosaurs in Africa or perhaps undertaking an excavation of the supposed resting place of a legendary floating island, had made swift progress through the wilderness, spurred on by their team's leader, who had insisted on taking personal charge of this his first personal dig. He had stopped periodically to examine a particular stone or to photograph more of the strange writing that littered the walls. He was like a kid in a candy store. There was a greedy look in his eyes as he ran his fingers across a crumbling column.

"This is extraordinary" he admitted. "Such complex writings, and it's all untouched; the treasures here must be immense."

He continued explaining to his companions what some of the hieroglyphics meant, although there were some that even he couldn't decipher. The thought never occurred as his crew poked, prodded, photographed and generally disturbed the site, that they should have left it well alone.

* * *

Weeks had passed and the initial enthusiasm had given way to days of hard work and nights of continuous drinking. Outside the ruins the exploration team's support crew had established a base camp. Travel in and out of the area was dangerous, not to mention extremely expensive, so any discoveries would be stored until they had found sufficient treasure to justify a pickup. Alternatively they would remain without outside contact save perhaps the odd supply drop, until the team was ready to leave.

"In other words," Bear had muttered, repeating the words he had used the first day as he had lugged another chest into the storage shed, "we're here until the good doctor becomes bored and decides to visit some shrine in Paris."

His co-worker didn't reply, causing Bear to roll his eyes in disgust. Some people just didn't have a sense of humour when it came to their employers. He on the other hand believed that when somebody was willing to seek him out with offers of big money, the last thing they were going to sack him for was opening his big mouth.

"What's the matter with you Denzil?" he asked, sticking his head out of the shed.

He gasped at the sight before him; his friend, the man who owed him twenty bucks, was lying in the snow, his face filled with horror and his hands covering a massive hole where his stomach should have been.

"What the fu…"

Something moved. It was not totally visible, but left a slight blur. He shouted out, hoping that somebody would hear and come to his aid. Nobody came; they were all dead. Before he could turn to run or reach for the revolver he kept in his back pocket, something appeared. It resembled a reptile and snarled briefly before crushing his skull.

"Nicely done my dear Drac'cuul," a voice rasped from the shadows. "Now if you'd please keep the noise down, we can let our underlings do their work."

* * *

Doctor Smith was growing increasingly frustrated. He had not been amused to discover as the weeks had passed, that the greatest discovery of the century was in fact an elaborate trick that some cruel rival had decided to play. The site had been filled with contradictory evidence and artefacts he could only conclude had been placed there as a joke. Rusted armour had no context in its current surroundings, a damaged computer of some description proved that this was the work of a careless prankster. The only thing of value had a brass short sword contained in an oak box that at best could be dated back to Roman times.

~And completely out of place in an Egyptian pyramid, which is totally unheard of in this location. What is going on?~

It was money down the drain, valuable time that could have been spent exploring something worthwhile. And while the expedition had been sponsored, the loss of professional standing that this disaster would bring, angered him. It was an expensive and quite immature prank and he would ensure that those responsible paid for it.

He had sent the rest of the team on ahead, ordering them to make immediate arrangements to pull out of the area. They would take the armour with them although the best he could for was some recognition for donating it to a museum. He certainly had no desire to remain in the freezing conditions any longer than necessary, especially since there was nothing to gain by doing so.

As he pulled himself through the entry hole, he picked up the wooden box that he had kept the sword in and scowled at the thought that one of his workers had just left it there. He opened it and his eyes widened as he observed the golden inscription on the lid.

"What were those idiots thinking, leaving this lying around?"

He stormed out of the entrance, fully prepared to give whichever idiot was responsible a piece of his mind when the sight before him caused him to stop abruptly. The camp was silent, dead bodies were littered across the ground; the site foreman had been strung upside down from the supply hut.

Smith was not a stupid man and faced with the options of running or facing whatever had killed his companions in such a gruesome manner, he chose to survive. There wasn't anywhere to go, but he hoped that a radio call for help would lead to his rescue. As he reached the appropriate hut, which his support team had prepared in a surprising short time, it burst into flame as a bolt of blue energy struck the metal surface.

There was a blur of motion in front of him and he found himself facing the person he assumed was responsible for the deaths of his staff. It surprised him to find that it was a woman since the brutality of the crimes had suggested a much large attacker. She was dark skinned with a bald head and large earrings and wore tight black leather pants with an equally tight dark red top covered by a fur-lined white coat and knee-high grey boots. She winked at him and flashed him a smile moments before leaping into the air. From there she extended her hands, unleashing a torrent of destructive energy bolts, which ripped up the ground surrounding the archaeologist.

Smith scrambled out of the way, desperate for escape he lunged for the only clear path, not realising that despite the outward appearance that she had a distinctively poor aim, the woman was herding him. He ran toward some wooden crates hoping to find something, anything to aid his escape.

He scrambled onto a snowmobile and frantically keyed the ignition. As he looked up, he saw two figures standing on a hill up ahead, their faces shadowed by the sun shining behind them. One of them appeared to nod and the other larger man jumped forward. His fists glinted and Smith realised he was wearing knuckle guards of some sort. They sparked as the man pushed them together and then drew them apart again before driving them into the ground just inches ahead of the speeding vehicle.

Smith screamed, not worrying about appearing macho when his life was on the line. He twisted the throttle control furiously as he tried to force the machine to move faster.

The large man grinned as his prey turned sharply. "That is how we handle the little squirt," he told her as if he were an expert on the matter.

"You missed as well," she pointed out pleasantly.

"He'll wish I hadn't," he promised.

Smith urged the vehicle on, but despite being made for the conditions, the unnatural terrain made progress increasingly difficult. He looked toward the still shadowed figure and saw him shake his head. Their part in this little caper was over; Drac'cuul was obviously going to take the kill for himself.

Doctor Smith spotted Drac'cuul up ahead and tried desperately to find a way out as the escaped villain unleashed an energy bolt and destroy the snowmobile, throwing Smith into the snow. Smith picked himself up, his hands wrapped around the one artefact he had retrieved from the site, which until now he had managed to conceal.

Drac'cuul stalked forward, his companions close behind. "The sword in that box under your arm is mine. Would you pleaseâ "? return it?"

"These are my finds," Smith argued. "My expedition found them, my team was the first to reach this location. If you have a problem, take it up with our sponsors."

"Ah but there my dear Doctor Smith lies the problem," the Master stated, the sun no longer behind him and his hideously disfigured face fully exposed. " _This _is your sponsor and I assure you he is extremely pleased that you managed to open this site for him. Now if you'll just hand over the sword, we can end our business relationship."

"That wasn't the deal," Smith shouted defiantly, "Any finds will be placed in a museum!" There was no way he was going to allow all his hard work and more importantly, if this man wanted his finds so much, the price was going to skyrocket.

"A shame," the Master stated, turning away, but not before allowing Smith a full view of his face. "You could have been useful in the future Doctor Smith. I am sure there are other expeditions we would have been willing to fund."

As the Master spoke, Drac'cuul was driving his clawed fingers through the unfortunate archaeologist. It wasn't the playful kill that the chase had been leading to; the Master of the Dark Dragons had decided to finish his prey with all the savagery of his race. His hand now crunched into a powerful fist ripped through the scientist's chest, causing bone and heart to burst from the exit wound.

The Master walked forward, prodding the dead doctor with his foot as Drac'cuul bent over the body and recovered the box that Doctor Smith had been guarding. He opened it and removed the sword from its container.

"See? It recognises its master after all this time." He raised the sword and drew the blade he already in his position. "Come to me my armour, I command it!"

There was a rumbling deep within the pyramid as the pieces of armour, those that Doctor Smith had dismissed as mere junk, started to move. Attracted by their master's will, the pieces were drawn through the stone structure and out through the exit where the pieces waited for his command.

"Assembly Protocol, Activate!"

The pieces combined to form the empty armour shell that he remembered. He was pleased to see that the armour's computer system was responding to the basic command sequence. Without the short sword he would have been unable to command it to this extent.

"Start-up Protocol, Activate!" he called, invoking the magic stored within the armour's Artificial Intelligence. The eyepieces glowed in response to the command, the colour changing as its systems moved through its start-up routine. As they finally showed readiness, he walked behind the shell and after using the short sword to slice his palm, placed his hand on the slightly discoloured area. "Identification Protocol, Activate!"

"RUNNING… DNA SCANS COMPLETE…"

"Unlock!"

Nothing happened. He tried again, smearing his blood over the DNA sensor and waiting for the computer to acknowledge his identity and for the rear of the suit to open so he could step inside.

"DNA SCANS ALREADY COMPLETED… IDENTIFICATION PROTOCOL STAGE TWO INITIATED… ENTER UNLOCK CODE"

"I am the Black Dragon, unlock!"

Again nothing happened except for the message repeating in his mind. He repeatedly tried wiping his palm over the sensor and instructing the system to reboot. The onboard computer continued to obey him until he demanded that the armour opened, at which point the system refused to comply.

"INCORRECT CODE… IDENTIFICATION FAILURE… SYSTEM SHUTDOWN"

"It won't work," he complained after repeating the process before trying to disassemble the armour. "It's stuck together."

"Naturally my dear Drac'cuul," the Master responded, studying the armour. "You ordered it to assemble and it will remain so until you instruct it otherwise."

Drac'cuul tried to order the armour to disassemble, but failed to get a response.

"It appears the Council have outwitted you, Drac'cuul," the Master rasped. Seeing his companion's confusion, he explained. "They clearly couldn't destroy the armour and knew that if you recovered the sword, you would have the means to summon it wherever they hid it, correct?" He received a nod. "They couldn't overcome your programming, so they added their own."

"No, they couldn't have," Drac'cuul said, unwilling to accept that they could have done such a thing. But then, the upgrade command was not a protected function so long as the programmer held the sword, a loophole he would be certain to close once he found a way around this limitation. "Echo upgrade!"

"ADDITION SOFTWARE INSTALLED AT DATE RESET"

"Remove upgrade!"

"ENTER UNLOCK CODE"

"Remove upgrade, now!"

"INCORRECT CODE… IDENTIFICATION FAILURE… SYSTEM SHUTDOWN"

"You see Drac'cuul, by ensuring that you need a code to do more than assemble the armour, the Council has stopped you in your tracks."

He saw the look of anger in Drac'cuul's eyes and relished it. The Dragon races of the universe were so proud of their ability to control their emotions that he took great pleasure in watching Drac'cuul constantly lose his temper.

"You can rant all you wish, but unless you enter the release code, that armour will remain useless to you." ~And to me as well.~

"No, this is my armour; I alone control it!"

"But by your own admission, you don't control it," the Master told him calmly. "That leaves you with only two choices: find a way around this code or find the code."

Drac'cuul forced himself to remain calm although there was a part of him that just wanted to rip everything around him to shreds, and then take his revenge to the Council directly.

"Do not worry so much Drac'cuul," the Master told him. "I have a way for you to find out the code and take some extra revenge against Zordon. Tell me, how would it feel if your enemy not only gave you the code, but begged you to use it."

"He would be declared a traitor," Drac'cuul said. "Yes, I like that."

"Then this is what we shall do…"

* * *

It was a rare opportunity for the people of Angel Grove to see a properly recognised and locally sponsored Street Fight, so as expected the makeshift stadium overlooking the Grand Convoy Dry Dock facility in Angel Grove. Booking one of the top-ten fighters in the world for an exhibition fight had been difficult, apparently Angel Grove's Sport and Social Director had called in every favour he was owed in order to get the 'official' World Warriors Champion and the top contender for that title.

Tommy, Samoht, David and Rocky had managed to get seats in the second row. Kimberly and Skull were further back in the stands having decided that they preferred some private time together. Jamie and Jason had made a similar decision while Billy and Trini had gone to the movies with Adam and Tanya. The other Rangers had begged off, saying they had other things to do. From the smell of Zack's aftershave the others had been more than willing to bet what their friend had in mind.

As the Rangers settled, they had a clear view of the mocked up private yacht, one of the trademark sets for these contests and in this case, not a part of the contest. A normal looking man, Japanese with blonde hair and moustache, dressed in a black suit with a bow tie that was obviously too large for his neck walked out in front of the crowd. He carried a small microphone with him.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," he began. "Tonight's entertainment will be a special non-title match for purely exhibition purposes. Tonight, we will see two friends and rivals fight purely to entertain you. Entering the arena from his yacht, the good ship Eliza… the Number One Contender… KENNETH MASTERS!"

* * *

Ken emerged from the plywood model of his yacht as sparks flew in the background and raised his hands to the applause. He pumped his fist in the air even as the announcer introduced Ryu, the World Champion. He grinned as they clapped fists. "I am gonna wail you, you know."

Ryu grinned, years of friendship and rivalry had taught both men how to banter. "Sure… says the guy whose three-year-old beat him. You will be able to have more kids after where Michael punched you, I hope?"

"Oh, you are cruising…" Ken continued as the crowd went wild, "you are so cruising!"

* * *

"Was that…?"

Watching from further back, Trey had been expecting a show of martial arts and perhaps some of the more interesting techniques. Chelsea had shown him a few street fights the Olivers had recorded, and he had been particularly interested in what Chelsea had described as the Squirrel technique.

Chelsea nodded. "Fireball. These fights are part real and part showmanship. The difficulty is deciding who is using what." She smirked. "Just wait until Masters lets loose the Flaming Dragon Punch, that's when it really becomes hard to tell the difference."

The two competitors continued with a flurry of punches, kicks and throws mixed in with the occasional high-powered move mixed in.

"Wow," Trey exclaimed as he saw both competitors attack with a spinning kick. He had seen Rangers perform similar moves when morphed, but this was something else. The two men met in the center of the arena, both managing to land a powerful blow to their opponent's chest before flying backward.

* * *

"Draw," the Referee announced when time ran out. "Round two!"

Both men grew serious, the joking around over as they both wanted the win.

* * *

How the match between Ryu and Ken had ended would remain a mystery to the Rangers, since Zordon had summoned them to the Power Chamber after detecting Drac'cuul's activities.

"Zordon, why didn't the Council split his armour up like that and hide it on different planets?" Trini asked.

It didn't make sense. There were so many planets in the galaxy, so many ways to hide a suit of armour. Why would somebody make it easier for the villain than it had to be?

"At the time he was sentenced, the Galactic Council wanted to divide his armour as you described, however it was quickly discovered that once Drac'cuul reclaimed any part of it he would be capable of tracking down the sword that functions as the control key. Since the armour could not be destroyed and was impossible to contain, scientists found a way to ensure that it could not be controlled. An extra level of security was added to its operating system requiring a code in order to open the shell so the controller can wear the armour. That code cannot be overridden and cannot be removed. Even though Drac'cuul has somehow managed to recover his weapon, he can wield it."

"But why leave it where he could recover it, why take that risk?"

Zordon looked uncomfortable. "At my suggestion the Council took steps to ensure that the armour was protected by placing it inside a decommissioned Zord that had been reconfigured into a powerful defensive structure. The pyramid was protected to ensure that neither Drac'cuul nor his followers could remove any part of the armour. It was not my idea to have the hiding place here on Earth; that decision was out of my control and unfortunately gave Drac'cuul the opportunity to find a way around the safeguards by using Earthlings to do his dirty work."

"So now he has this armour, but cannot use it, right?"

"There is always a chance that Drac'cuul will attempt to bypass the security program," Alpha told her.

"However, once Drac'cuul assembled the armour that method of deprogramming became impossible."

There were so many uncertainties where Drac'cuul was concerned. The Black Dragon was capable of controlling some of the brightest minds and putting them to work solving the problem. In addition the Doctor had revealed just how dangerous an ally the Master could be if it was in his interests to see Drac'cuul succeed.

~So what can I predict?~

He knew that Drac'cuul would not give up and assumed the villain was capable of discovering why the armour didn't function. That meant that he would attempt to discover the unlock code.

~And since only members of the Council have access to that information he is likely to seek his answers away from Earth.~

"What can this armour of his do, is it like Ranger armour?" Kimberly probed.

"Drac'cuul's armour was crafted by the Weapon Smiths on Vulcanus to enhance his natural abilities and allow him the physical strength to dominate the dragons," Alpha explained. "The armour draws energy from the atmosphere and uses it to enhance its wearer's abilities."

"So if he does find a way to use it, we're in trouble."

"That's not going to happen," Jason interrupted, "because we're going to find him before he can do so."

"But he could be off the planet by now," Kimberly pointed out.

"No, he's not," the Doctor told her.

"How can you be so certain about that?"

The Doctor pointed at the screen he had been watching while Zordon had been busy with the explanations. He hadn't really been paying attention and would probably wish that he had later, but he was sure Samantha had been listening. She really was the perfect companion.

"Because he's right there."

* * *

It was a tried and tested trap. That the Rangers knew that it was a trap and couldn't help but respond just made it all the better. So it was with the knowledge that only would the Rangers make an appearance, but that they would be expecting a trap that forced him to be even more underhanded. Of course in a situation where the Rangers were already expecting a trap and had no doubt prepared for some sort of ambush he was left with little choice but to play it straight… until the opportunity presented itself.

"Legions of the Dragon awaken," Drac'cuul ordered.

He had chosen to attack a city close to Angel Grove but far enough away to slow any warning that Zordon might give them. His force of humanoid dragons were terrorising the citizens, making them flee from the horrendous creatures. And then the Zeo Rangers arrived and the fun really started.

* * *

The Rangers had been quick to teleport to the scene, deliberating sending only the Zeo Rangers so the Morphin Rangers were available as backup. With their Zeo Swords they cleared a path through the throng of Dragon People while Gold Ranger devastated them with blasts from his Golden Power Staff.

They gradually gained the upper hand as they whittled down the opposing army until only a few stood in their way. Things were going too well and the Rangers were expecting some sort of trick. However when Drac'cuul made his appearance, they were unprepared for the way he chose to ambush them.

"Hear me, soldiers of the Dragon! I Drac'cuul, the Black Dragon and your rightful master, command you. Stop!"

The foot soldiers obeyed immediately, allowing the Green, Yellow and Pink Zeo Rangers to finish them with a little assistance from the Gold Ranger. Only then did they realise that Rocky and Tommy had also stopped moving.

"Blue Ranger, attack those that defy me," Drac'cuul ordered, delighting as Blue Zeo turned against his friends.

Deep inside Rocky was fighting against the command, but his ties to the Black Dragon, a link that forced all those that were either physically or magically connected to him to obey his instructions. His mind resisted but his body was already striking Green Zeo across the head.

"Now Stella, while the others are distracted."

Unnoticed by the Rangers, Stella stood atop a tall building with a heavy iron bow, her aim fixed on the only Ranger not fighting. She watched the Red Zeo Ranger as he struggled to overcome the outside influence, just as he had struggled against previous attempts to control him. His resistance to the Black Dragon's innate ability to control what he referred to as the Legion of the Dragon was a testament to the Oliver stubbornness. Still, he was incapable of moving to aid his friends.

"Tommy Oliver, demorph," Drac'cuul instructed, delighting as the Red Zeo Ranger obeyed albeit very slowly. "And die!"

The archer loosed her arrow at the defenceless Zeo Ranger and celebrated as the shot pierced her target's shoulder. The Ranger dropped to the ground, released from Drac'cuul's influence. The other Rangers soon surrounded their fallen comrade; Rocky too had been released from the Black Dragon's control. As the foot soldiers vanished, the Rangers tried to understand what had happened and the reasons why they had been drawn out just so the villain could launch a sneak attack on one of their number.

Their attention was drawn away from their injured comrade when Drac'cuul chose to appear before them, carrying a metal disk. He saw them raise their weapons and smiled cruelly.

"Do not be reckless, Rangers," he warned.

"We can handle you," Tanya shot back.

Drac'cuul appeared to consider the response. "How true. But if you do 'handle me' the chances are your friend will die." He tossed the disk to Green Zeo. "That disk contains the available information about the poison placed on the head of the arrow, the symptoms, the time the Red Ranger has left and my demands."

"How do we know this isn't a trick?"

"You don't. Tell Zordon to take whatever precautions he has to, but the fact remains that your friend's time is running out and only I can save him."

That caused the Zeo Rangers to pull their Zeo Pistols ready to take him prisoner. There was no way they were going to allow him to escape if he could cure their friend.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Rangers," the Master warned, emerging from a door that had just appeared to one side. "In fact we'll have none of that heroic nonsense. Drac'cuul won't give you the cure unless his demands are met and any attempt to force him will either fail or not succeed before the deadline and your companion expire. He's very stubborn like that you see. And for the record, I doubt you could take us by force it you tried."

"What do you want?" Tanya demanded.

"Drac'cuul's demands are on the disk and as for me… I want nothing from you, Rangers. Drac'cuul will be meeting my demands."

"Now, run along before Tommy becomes too weak to transport." Drac'cuul instructed. He sounded as if he truly enjoyed the power he held over them. He turned to the Master and told him conversationally: "When the skin around the wound turns light green, any attempt to teleport him will spread the infection throughout the Morphin Grid."

Vowing that they were not finished with the Black Dragon, the Rangers teleported away.

* * *

Power Chamber,

"Tommy!" Kimberly and Jason cried when the Zeo Rangers appeared in the room.

"Alpha, secure the Power Chamber!" Billy shouted.

David was already at his brother's side along with Samoht. "White Ranger Power!" He placed his hands on either side of Tommy's head and concentrated on trying to heal the fallen leader of the Zeo team. "It's not working," he said, panicked.

"Everybody calm down!" Zack shouted.

Rangers and Grid Masters stopped to regard the Black Ranger, so often underrated, but suddenly one of the few Rangers in control.

"Alpha, teleport anyone who is not a Grid Master or a member of Tommy's family out of here. Send them to the Briefing Room," Zack continued.

Alpha did as he was told and soon only David, Samoht and Zack were left. Alpha punched a few controls and a medical bed appeared in the Command Chamber. White Ranger moved back to his brother's head and tried again to heal him. Samoht morphed and started feeding energy to his white teammate.

Tommy's body glowed bright red as his friends tried to help him. His Zeonisers appeared on his wrists, the small crystal crackled as the foreign energy in his body reacted with his powers.

"Thalian!" Zack shouted. As the Master of the Mind Aspect appeared, the Black Ranger continued: "Help them!"

Under the guidance of an Aspect Master, they were finally able to stabilize their friend. Then came the difficult part: examining the fallen Ranger's wound. White Ranger carefully ripped off his brother's T-shirt. Underneath they could see the arrowhead poking through the flesh. A strange green and web seemed to spread from the tip of the arrow. The webbing pulsed in time with Tommy's ragged breathing.

"The wound is closed and the bleeding has stopped," White Ranger said. "I can't stop the poison though."

"Drac'cuul gave the Rangers a disk," the Doctor recalled.

"Alpha, play the disk," Zordon instructed.

"Ah Zordon, so good to see you again," the image of Drac'cuul said as it appeared on the Viewing Screen. "Or at least it feels good to imagine what is running through your mind at this moment. Your little Ranger has been poisoned Zordon, he will die unless my demand is met. And it's simple Zordon, no negotiation, and no unreasonable requests. I want the unlock code for my armour. That's it, nothing else. I don't care how you do it; I don't care what favours you have to call in. I'm not even going to set the time limit here Zordon, Tommy is. In twelve hours his body will enter a state of irreversible breakdown. In cryogenic suspension he might manage a few days after which he cannot be cured. And before you think of coming here seeking some potion or device that can cure your friend know this: only my armour can repair the damage caused by that arrow and only at my command."

The image switched its angle, allowing the Rangers a view of the armour in the background.

"You have your time limit Zordon, I suggest you don't miss it."

The Viewing Screen went blank and Zack took control again. He didn't like acting as leader. True he had filled in for Jason during the Green Ranger's initial rampage, but then the team can only consist of four Rangers and all of them had been in fairly good shape. Now there were more than ten Rangers, one of whom was unconscious and three who were emotionally too close to Tommy to be of much help while Tommy was hurt.

"Alpha, find the others," Zack ordered.

"Billy, Trini and Adam are in the Laboratory Seven, Aisha and Kat are with Kimberly, they've managed to calm her down although I can't explain her reaction. Samantha is with Tanya and the Doctor is working on something in the Zord Bay. Trey is sparring with Rocky and Jason is waiting in the Briefing Room."

"He's not angry with me is he?" Zack asked.

"Zachary, you did what was in Tommy's best interests," Zordon said. "Had there been too many Rangers, David would not have been able to perform his task. You have shown a clear head under pressure. But now it is time to call the Rangers together."

"Right," Zack agreed. "Alpha, teleport all the Rangers to the Briefing Room. We'll put Tommy in the Medical Bay."

* * *

"And that's the whole story," Samoht told the assembled Rangers. "If we don't give Drac'cuul the code, Tommy will die."

"I don't trust him to keep his word," Jason said.

"Based on his past actions I doubt he would honour his side of the bargain," Billy said.

"Even if we honour our side," Trini agreed.

Rocky had been quiet throughout the meeting so far, but now spoke up. "I'm sorry guys. This is my fault."

"Nonsense Rocky," Zordon boomed. "Drac'cuul's abilities have been honed throughout his lifetime. So far as I know there is no way for you to resist his call as he proved by commanding Tommy to remove his armour."

"So what do we do?" Tanya asked.

"There is no way we can allow Tommy to die," Kat said.

"Kat's right," Kimberly agreed. "But we can't give him the code either. We don't even know the code, do we?"

"No, Kimberly, we do not," Zordon admitted. "The code was stored in the Central Archives on Erlion. I do not believe that the Council will allow us to access it."

"They can't think it's worth Tommy dying for " Kimberly protested.

"In the minds of the Council keeping the code from Drac'cuul would save many lives. That is worth the loss of a single human."

"And what do you think?"

Zordon made eye contact with each Ranger in turn, his face solemn. However it was Thalian who answered. "There is nothing more valuable than the life of an individual. Nobody should be sacrificed for the greater good. Once that path is taken, darkness is a short distance away."

"Do not worry Rangers," Zordon assured them. "The Council might not provide the code, but we will find a way"

"Perhaps now would be a good time to tell them the prophecy," Thalian suggested. "One from days long gone, one from days still to come and three not far away. Together with the one death cannot hold, they shall be united by their cause and will bind the Black Dragon."

"One from the past," Samoht said. "That's me."

"And Tommy, Jason and Rocky would count as the three from our time," David added.

"What about the one from the future and the one from elsewhere?" Zack asked.

"Me," Samantha offered. "I'm from the future, sort of."

"Alpha, perform a scan of Miss Jones," Zordon instructed.

The Doctor had told him a great deal about his companion. Samantha was indeed from the future and easily fit the criteria to be a Ranger. However, the modifications to her bio-data interested him. ~If she really is part Fae, then perhaps she is the one. But how could she have changed without the Doctor knowing?~

Alpha completed the scan and sadly shook his head. As far as he could tell Samantha was incapable of using any Morphin powers.

"Well I tried," she offered, trying to hide her disappointment.

"We will continue to search," Zordon assured them. "Although I believe that the meaning of the prophecy will only be made clear when the time comes. In the meantime the only way we will find out if the Council is willing to part with the code is to ask them."

"We need a new way of getting there," Adam said, looking directly at Billy.

"The modifications are incomplete," Billy protested, knowing what the Red Ranger was thinking.

"We need to try Billy," Trini said softly.

"Maybe with only five Zords we could form the Sky Ship Gamma without the transitional deformation experienced so far."

"I thought the Sky Zords were destroyed in the battle with Serpenterra," Rocky said.

"They were," Alpha confirmed. "Zordon and Billy donated the schematics to the Earth's governments to give them an understanding of Zord technology. In return they gave us the machines they created from the schematics. I had the computer modify the Zords to match our requirements."

"So they're useable?" Rocky pressed.

This was not the first time Zordon had made such deals with the native government. However in the past he had always ensured that the Zords' ability to combine was not included with the blueprints.

"Indeed," Zordon replied. "Alpha and I have seen to it that the Zords have been equipped with Gestalt circuits. In this case the Sky Zords will provide the means for you to travel to Erlion and back. Once there you must access the archives and retrieve the lock code. I find it unlikely that those on the planet will escape. Regardless, you must ensure that we receive the code if we are to save Tommy."

"Samoht, Rocky, David and Jason need to stay here," Zack warned. "No offence guys but if Drac'cuul discovers you have the code he can forget about Tommy and just have you snatch it."

Jason and Zack locked eyes, speaking silently until finally Jason's face softened.

"Look after them Zackman."

"I will Jase," the Black Ranger replied. "I promise."

"Very well Rangers," Zordon boomed. "The Sky Zords are standing by. Trey, Kat, Kimberly, Tanya, Aisha and Adam will pilot the Sky Zords."

"Sky Zords, power up!" Gold Ranger called.

The Red, Green, Pink, Yellow and Blue Sky Zords launched into air, the Gold Sky Zord took off in the opposite direction.

"Log on!" Gold Ranger ordered, taking control for the duration of the flight. Under normal circumstances Adam was second-in-command of the Zeo Rangers, but he had stepped aside in view of Trey's experience with space travel.

"Sky Zord One ready," Pink Zeo told her leader.

"Sky Zord Two is go," Yellow Zeo said. "This thing is cool!"

"Sky Zord Three operational," Purple Ranger reported.

"Sky Zord Four standing by Trey," Green Zeo said.

"Sky Zord Five, bring them together," Gold Zeo instructed.

"Right!" Pink Ranger, the most experienced aerial Zord pilot on Earth responded.

Changing positions so they line up Two, Four, Five, Three and finally one the Rangers activated their Zords' gestalt circuits. The five jets merged into a single fighter: Sky Ship Gamma. As the final seal locked into place, the large ship flipped, changing direction in an instant. As they did so, Gold Ranger directed his Sky Zord into position just behind the craft and slightly above its position. Having made a single loop around the Earth, they had gained the speed required to push the Zords into hyper-space once he completed the configuration. He pulled back on the controls as his craft's underbelly latched onto the top of the large Zord, completing the interlock and preparing the ship for space flight.

"All systems go," Green Zeo reported. "No problems detected."

"Set course for Erlion," Gold Ranger instructed as the other Rangers teleported into the passenger section.

"Firing thrusters… here we go!"

* * *

"Drac'cuul!" Jason called, assuming that the villain would have some way to observe him. Most did. "We have an answer for you."

He was proven correct when the Black Dragon appeared before him accompanied by a collection of Dragon People.

"Is that so Red Ranger?" Drac'cuul replied. "Tell me."

"You can have the code so long as you agree to our terms," Jason insisted.

He wasn't surprised when Drac'cuul started laughing. He had expected the villain to realise that he had an advantage and to use it. Already he could feel a slight prickling at the back of his mind as the Lord of Dragoria tried to use his former link to the Red Dragon against him.

"No terms Ranger, tell me the code."

"I can't," Jason answered. "The others are getting it."

The Doctor and Zordon had foreseen the problem and had come up with a counter plan that would ensure that Drac'cuul's ability to control certain Rangers would not be used against them.

"Then teleport back to your Power Chamber and when the others return, bring it to me."

"I have to give you a message before I can leave," Jason told him. Zordon and Alpha had locked the Power Chamber to prevent the villain from sending Jason on a rampage.

"Make it quick."

"The Rangers of Earth will soon hold the only copy of the code to your armour. If Tommy dies they will destroy the code and then hunt you down. However they are willing to hand over the code to save their friend if you agree to their conditions."

Drac'cuul leaned forward, eager to hear what his enemies had in mind. "Continue."

"You will allow Tommy to give the code and then enter the armour, at which point you will start the healing program."

Drac'cuul nodded. The Rangers had obviously decided that he had been telling the truth about his armour being the only way to heal Tommy. That was no big loss.

"You will promise not to harm Tommy from the time he arrives until the time he is healed and exits the armour. In return we will promise not to use the armour against you or to attempt to steal it while he is inside. When healed we will not interfere in your taking possession of it."

"Agreed, but you Rangers must agree not to attack me while I indulge this request."

Jason nodded. "You will also promise not to use your control over the - what did you call them, the Legion of the Dragon? - against us again."

"Very well, I promise not to take control of any of my rightful servants living on Earth until after I have destroyed this planet's protectors," Drac'cuul conceded. "But with my armour I have other powers available. There are to be no tricks, no deceptions on either side. Tommy will be healed and my armour will be returned to me."

As he spoke Jason felt the Black Dragon's hold on his mind relax. He was freed from his control, but now he needed to make sure that the villain would keep his word.

"Swear it, on the bond of your brethren," Jason insisted.

"Don't push your luck Boy," was the reply. He was met with a look of grim determination. There was no way he was going to back down without that rarely given and very powerful oath. "Very well, I swear on my continuance as Black Dragon that I will honour our agreement. I will not attempt to enslave my Earthly servants and will not attempt to harm Tommy until after he has been healed. Send Tommy to the pyramid when your friends return. But don't leave it too late; I cannot be held responsible for his life."

* * *

Erlion

Later

The Sky Ship Gamma landed on hills of tall green grass. Sparkling lakes of clear water dotted the landscape nearby. The teens walked onto the plains and looked down to a valley below. A large, ornate Greco-Roman type city was spread across the valley.

"Wow," Kimberly said.

"This place is beautiful," Zack commented.

"This was the largest population center that I could determine," Billy told them. "According to the computer it houses the Council Buildings."

Trey stared down at the city, reminiscing about summers spent in the political capital of the galaxy under the tutelage of whatever scribes could spare the time to educate the future rulers of member planets.

"This is the place," he agreed. "If we want the code, this is the place where we must start."

The Rangers and their guide walked through the streets of the alien city. Most of the citizens were dressed in intricate robes or loose-fitting clothing, something that made the Rangers appeared out of place. The population stared at the strangers, some with undisguised anger, but others were merely curious.

"Maybe we should have done something about our appearance," Trini said, feeling self-conscious.

"I should have warned you before we started," Trey agreed. "Perhaps we should have morphed first."

Zack shook his head. "We want to talk, not fight. Let's try to stay cool about this."

A group of armed guards approached them as they moved through the streets, alerted by the curious onlookers no doubt. They wore leather uniforms and full face helmets. They also carried short staffs, but it was clear they were not Rangers.

"Trouble," Adam asked, looking to Trey.

"Possibly," Trey answered. "Try not to antagonise them."

The guards surrounded the rangers. The squad leader stepped forward. "Halt. State your identities and planet of origin."

"We're Rangers, from Earth," Adam answered.

The response was laughter.

"Earth doesn't have the means to come here, they don't even have public teleport booths."

"Yet here we are," Adam said.

That didn't seem the right thing to say since the guard chose to slap Adam across the face with his hand.

"Hey," Zack interrupted as he grabbed the man's hand, "No one's looking for trouble. We just need to see the Council."

"The only thing you'll be seeing is the inside of a jail cell for assaulting an officer," the cop sneered as he grabbed hold of the Black Ranger, kicked him in the side and bashed him across the back with his elbow.

"So talking is out of the question then?" Zack asked. He saw the cruel look in the cop's face and sigh, "I'll take that as a yes." He spun into his opponent, who had decided to pin his arm behind his back and stamped hard on the man's foot. With a few twists, he managed to throw the guard aside as around him the other Rangers took up defensive stances. Trey stood to one side, keeping out of the combat while allowing the Rangers to teach their aggressors a much-needed lesson.

The other guards moved in to pin down the other teens before things got out of hand, but the rangers fought back. Not wanting to harm them more than necessary, they made quick work of their opponents.

A guard swung his staff towards Adam. Adam blocked the blow and slammed a sidekick against the soldier's face.

Kimberly back flipped while kicking a soldier upside the head. She landed and spun while slamming a knife hand strike across the guard's face. Trini stood near Kimberly's back. Two guards swung their staffs downward, but Trini blocked both blows, slammed a round kick against one soldier's side, and brought her leg around with a hook kick across the second guard's head.

Aisha tornado-kicked a soldier's staff aside and continued the spin with a roundhouse kick that slammed across the soldier's face.

Billy and Tanya stood side-by-side. Billy highblocked a soldier's blow and grabbed the guard by the wrist. Tanya stepped forward and twisted the guard by the wrist, flipping the soldier to the ground. Zack slammed a jump kick upside a soldier's head and slammed the back of his fist across the same guard's face.

Kat double jump kicked a guard aside in the chest and face, knocking the soldier backward. Adam was at her side. A guard swung his staff upward towards Adam's chest. Adam kicked the staff aside and slammed an axe kick down on the guard's collarbone.

Billy round kicked a soldier in the side. He stepped forward and slammed a palm strike against the guard's face.

Reinforcements started arriving, properly trained police officers from the IGPF, not the local patrol. They had their weapons drawn, but chose to observe the scene before taking any action. Since the Rangers did not attack them and made no attempt to run, the officers chose to wait for orders while acknowledging that these strangers had taken down the city's guards with relative ease.

"Just what is going on here?"

The voice belonged to a six-foot grey-haired rabbit dressed in the uniform of an IGPF officer and wearing the pips that denoted him as the scene commander.

"Sir!" the guards' leader responded, snapping to attention. "We were responding to reports of interlopers and found these â "? people, lurking around. When questioned they refused to answer and then resisted arrest."

"I see, how fortunate that there were so many of you to tackle them," the rabbit, Captain Snowball replied. He turned to where the Rangers were calmly waiting. "Is this true?"

"Not all of it," Zack responded.

"Then tell me your side of the story." He raised a hand when the guard tried to protest. "Everybody is entitled to their say."

"Well we were walking through the street, heading for the Council building, when we were approached by your guards and asked to identify ourselves. We did, they didn't like the answer and then chose to assault us. We defended ourselves."

"He's lying," the guard protested. "Look at them Captain, lowlife scum the lot of them. Who would you rather believe, them or us?"

"Or you could ask me."

Trey had been overlooked during the confrontation, choosing to act as a witness rather than a combatant, but knowing that his friends could easily handle the local mob.

"And who are you, another Ranger from the planet Earth?"

"No, I am a Ranger from the planet Triforia," Trey replied, summoning the Golden Power Staff and allowing the tattoo he had hidden while on Earth to show through. "Will there be anything else, Captain?"

"Of course not, Sir," the captain replied. He looked at the Gold Ranger. "You know that you could have just told us you were here and I wouldn't have needed to ask any questions."

The word of a Ranger was always truth, or so the proverb suggested. By attacking a Ranger of any description the guard had earned himself a disciplinary hearing.

"It is good to see there are still some who know their job. Carry on Captain."

Snowball nodded and assigned a man to guide the Rangers to the Council Chambers.

* * *

Far from the war between good and evil, unaware of what was at stake should one side triumph over the other, a lone figure pondered his revenge. It had been a while since the Master and Minion had invaded his domain, but he remembered the humiliation he had suffered. He had vowed that day that he would seek revenge. Now it was time to follow through.

* * *

Erlion

They walked into the main chambers morphed, hoping that doing so would create a better impression. As they entered, they could see the elected Council members on an elevated platform sitting at a crescent-shaped table, a position that allowed them a sense of power.

At the head of the table was Jenai. He had silver hair that matched the colour of his eyes. Another council member was from the planet of Caldor-Seven; the people of Caldor-Seven resembled humans, except for the orange tints in their skin and hair. The third was from the planet of Cystic, and like all members of his race, his body was made of pure crystal while the fourth was a Tiepin named Marx dressed in black robes with a gold trim. A male councillor from Praxis, a white veiled female from Inquirian and a green armoured Riparian named Zythosx joined them.

The Rangers removed their helmets as they approached the Council. Zack stepped forward and introduced himself and his friends. "We are the Rangers of Earth, here at the request of Zordon of Eltare to ask for this Council's aid."

"Earth is not a member of the Galactic Council and has not been assigned a Ranger team despite what Zordon might say," Min said.

"Zordon is a Grid Master appointed to protect the planet Earth and as such chose to recognise these warriors as Rangers," Trey said, "That is his right; their position as Rangers cannot be questioned."

"Perhaps," Zythosx remarked, "but that does not explain why you are here. Rangers or not, this body has no business with Earth."

"Would you tell us why you have come?" the Inquirian asked.

"Of course. As you know the Black Dragon, Drac'cuul escaped not too long ago. He has targeted Earth and has taken the life of our Red Ranger hostage. We require the unlock code for his armour to trade for Tommy's life."

But when Zack mentioned the code, the eyes of the Council became wide with fear. They knew how much power the armour Drac'cuul had created could bring him and were unwilling to loose that much power for the sake of a human. "Access to the code is forbidden. I suggest you return home and concentrate on defeating Drac'cuul. If you persist in this matter, you will be arrested."

"But…"

"Good dayâ "? Rangers."

Jenai pressed a control key in front of him, and the Rangers were instantaneously teleported outside.

The Rangers demorphed. Zack was the first to speak.

"Well that didn't go well. We'd better call Zordon."

* * *

Earth

"So how do we do this?" Rocky asked.

While their friends had been away, they had not been idle. With the help of Thalian they had discovered that David's relation to Tommy made him a possible substitute for the Red Zeo Ranger as one of those chosen to battle Drac'cuul.

"If Drac'cuul manages to reactivate his armour, he will be immune to most forms of attack," Zordon advised. "I know of only one way to overcome him should he do so."

He teleported six clear crystals into the Power Chamber and allowed them to float before his tube.

"There are powers in this universe beyond the understanding of the mortal mind. Eons ago a great craftsman created a set of artefacts he called the Star Gems. Later he created a second set of seven balls he named the Dragon Orbs, one of which was used to create the armour Drac'cuul now possesses. These orbs are empowered to provide the six-prophesied warriors the means to battle Drac'cuul and an opportunity for this planet to survive. They do not guarantee success."

"Alpha, use the teleport system to send the orbs to their rightful avatars. When Drac'cuul activates his armour, he will also activate the orb contained within its power circuits. That will activate these orbs and provide the six chosen warriors with the means to defeat him."

"I think I can incorporate these gems into some form of morpher," Alpha told Zordon. "It will protect them and allow you to tap the power."

"That will be unnecessary Alpha. Despite not being a part of the Morphin Grid, these orbs will use the Rangers' existing powers as a template and manifest as something they are familiar with."

Rocky, Jason, Samoht and David each found themselves holding an orb.

"Each of you will tap the power of the Dragon in your own way," Zordon told them. "David, your ability comes from the bloodline you share with Tommy. Listen to your instincts and you will know how to use them."

The teens nodded. Now it was a matter of time.

* * *

_"I'm sorry Zordon," _Zack said over the communication channel. " _We tried the friendly approach, now we have to do it the hard way." _

"I understand Zachary, you have shown more restraint than the Council deserved," Zordon instructed. "Do as you think best and assume that you do so on my authority. The important thing is that we save Tommy and stop Drac'cuul. I am prepared to face the consequences if we accomplish those goals."

Zack nodded and the communication ceased.

* * *

The Rangers all but ran from the Hall of Records having broken into the records and copied the code onto a small scroll that Zack held firmly in his hand. It hadn't taken much to find the scroll in the underground vaults, break the seals and make a duplicate. Unfortunately in their haste the original scroll had been lost. The custodians had wisely chosen to back away when they had seen the determination on the humans' faces. Now they were hurrying to return Sky Ship Gamma and then to get back to Earth and help their friends, so the interruption was not something they appreciated. Before they reached the edge of the city, the five figures appeared and blocked their path. The young man in the red-trimmed uniform stepped forward.

"My name is Jyu. I am leader of the Defender team on this planet. Your actions here are illegal, treasonous against the Council. In the name of the Galactic Council, I demand you surrender to us."

"Look we don't have time for this right now," Zack answered, taking a step forward. "Our friend…"

"We know of your reasons, but your actions are still illegal," Jyu told them. "You have my sympathy for your friend."

"We have orders to contain you if you resist," the blue uniformed Defender told them, making a show of readying his transformation tool. While not recognised as Rangers for political reasons there were many that would claim they were their equals. "Don't make us do so, I doubt Zordon would want you to do this."

"Zordon ordered us to retrieve the code," Zack told him.

"I'm sorry, I really am," Jyu said as he readied his transformer, "but you will never be allowed to leave the planet now that you have seen the scroll."

"Don't be stupid," Trini begged.

"You're outnumbered two to one," Billy reasoned.

"We have our orders," Jyu said again. "Power Deploy!"

"So be it," Trey sighed. "It's Morphin Time!"

"Black Ranger Power!"

"Blue Ranger Power!"

"Pink Ranger Power!"

"Yellow Ranger Power!"

"Purple Ranger Power!"

"Zeo Ranger I - Pink!"

"Zeo Ranger II - Yellow!"

"Zeo Ranger IV - Green!"

"Gold Ranger Power!"

They never heard what the other side called as they were quick to attack.

"Breaker Sword," Red Defender called as he charged forward.

Normally there would have been room to banter or talk things through, but today the Rangers were desperate and didn't have times for the niceties of battle.

"Gold Rush!" Gold Ranger called, bombarding the opposing side with enough energy to send him flying backwards until he slammed against a wall, which cracked upon impact.

Blue Defender swung his axe towards Blue Ranger's head. Blue Ranger grabbed him by the wrist, and Pink Ranger slashed him across the chest with her Blade Blaster. The bladed edge sparked on impact as Pink Zeo threw him backward.

Yellow Defender charged towards Yellow Ranger, Purple Ranger and Yellow Zeo. Purple Ranger snapped her Power Whip and knocked her away before she could get close enough to fight.

The Green and Pink Defenders did not fair any better than their comrades and as Black Ranger kicked the feet out from under Red Defender for the third time, they were put down.

"This battle is over," Gold Ranger said, standing over the fallen Rangers. "We didn't want to fight you, we take no comfort from winning, but if you get up again we will make sure you stay down."

"Is one life worth this?" Red Defender asked, disbelievingly. "Is it worth treason and killing?"

"Killing, no," Gold Ranger answered honestly. "Anything else though… do you really need to ask?"

The Red Defender never had a chance to answer because as he looked up, the Rangers of Earth were gone.

* * *

"Zordon, we're transmitting the unlock code now," Trey reported.

"Thank you Trey, I am sure you and the rest of your team performed admirably. Return to Earth and try not to worry about the consequences. We will deal with any fallout when as it happens."

* * *

An hour or so later and the Rangers were reaching the moment of truth. Alpha estimated that to reach Drac'cuul's location by conventional means would take too long and Tommy was already too weak to make the journey alone. They were forced to change the plan, causing Jason, Rocky, Samoht and David to accompany their friend instead of waiting behind as they had previously planned. With the other Rangers still away though they had little choice in the matter and as the Doctor had pointed out: at least the change in plans would not seem as threatening to Drac'cuul if he could control them the moment they broke their word.

The Doctor had taken to the outer perimeter of the dig site where Drac'cuul's armour had been recovered, but had not accompanied them further. They were on their own, protected only by a promise that had too many loopholes for comfort.

"Ah Rangers, I expected something like this," Drac'cuul greeted. "I will allow this small breach of our agreement and continue as if you had complied with my wishes. However, for my protection I'm sure you won't object if I ask the lovely Stella and the mighty Ridge to join us."

As he spoke the large man and the woman that had accompanied him to seize control of the encampment moved into sight.

"The armour has been primed and is programmed to heal him the moment he steps inside. He is free to do so and neither my companions nor I will allow him to come to harm until our business is concluded. So Tommy, come forward."

Not willing to risk testing their host's indulgence, the Rangers stood back and allowed a very shaky Tommy to make his way to the armour. Now was the most dangerous moment, the point where Drac'cuul would notice the words written on Tommy's forearm; the Red Zeo Ranger's infamously poor memory was worse than ever it seemed. They were relieved to see the villain allow Tommy to continue uninterrupted.

"Unlock code: Uni-Norman-Loco-Ono-Cheddar-Kuneku," Tommy slurred.

The armour opened as it had been programmed to do, expanding to encompass the unmorphed Ranger before sealing around him.

"HEALING PHASE ACTIVATED"

A series of lights flashed as the armour's nano-technology repaired the wound inflicted by the poisoned arrow, cleansing his body of impurities and correcting anything it considered a flaw. That Tommy had once been the Green Dragon Ranger and therefore magically in tune with the armour's harmonic functioning.

"At last my armour is unlockedâ ¦" Drac'cuul boasted as he watched it work. "The Council were fools to think they could keep it from me and now Zordon and his Rangers are traitors for daring to assist me."

The Master laughed. Drac'cuul was so blinded by his hatred for the bodiless White Master that he totally failed to understand the Eltarian. Zordon wouldn't have handed over the release code if Drac'cuul hadn't threatened the life of one of his Rangers, and that the  
White Master clearly believed that regardless of what weapons Drac'cuul used, his Rangers would overcome the Black Dragon.

~No Zordon is hardly the fool and coward that Drac'cuul believes him to be. More likely he is the masterful tactician, allowing his opponent a small advantage in return for a greater gain. He must have had a plan, but what?~

Finally the lights stopped, indicating that Tommy's body had been repaired in accordance with the Black Dragon's promise. Now it was time for vengeance.

"Armour, unlock!" Drac'cuul commanded.

This time the unlock code was known and the control blade was in his possession. The armour opened at his command and Tommy was ejected.

"Activate!"

The armour disassembled and at his command reformed around him, stoking Drac'cuul's in the process; anybody could step into the armour, but only he could command it to form around him.

"And now the payback begins."

With his armour in place and the orb to enhance his ability to channel energy, his body was greatly improved. His race was naturally magical and their bodies were conductive to outside energy currents. However they were limited as to how much power they could wield. Drac'cuul's armour seemed to overcome that failing.

"Haiyaah!" the villain cried, launching a bolt of crimson energy that tore into the landscape and exploded with phenomenal force.

Stella's eyes sparkled with delight. "Amazingâ ¦ Not only does the armour increase Drac'cuul's ability to channel energy, it creates its own current for him to use."

The Master watched as Drac'cuul continued to demonstrate his developing powers. He was willing to let the other villain have his fun before claiming his fee.

"You fools," Drac'cuul gloated as he turned his attention to the Rangers "You have no idea about the power I now wield. An army of Rangers would fail and yet only four of you stand before me. This metal has a skin of Iron, rendering it immune to magic and generates a frequency that will prevent you using you Zeonisers. So while you sit there helplessly, behold the power of the Black Dragon."

A bolt of red energy shot towards the Rangers and halted a few meters in front of them. The orbs they had been given had activated the moment Drac'cuul had attacked. They knew nothing of the orbs' powers, but it seemed they reacted to the Rangers' instincts. Golden light flowed from Sam's chest, pushing back the Black Dragon's attack.

"So, you came prepared," Drac'cuul smiled. "Impressive, but ultimately futile. Now, allow me to show you my swords!"

"No thanks," Jason replied. "You can have mine. Blazing Sword!"

He pulled the sword he had strapped to his back earlier and threw it at the villain, using the latent powers of the orb to strengthen his arm muscles. He had the satisfaction of seeing it strike Drac'cuul's chest, but was disappointed when a haze of black energy prevented it from piercing the armour. Drac'cuul grunted as he knocked the blade away. His lip curled into a grin, which could be seen through the metal helmet of his armour as he held both his swords ready.

"It is amazing that Zordon fell for my deception so easily," he told them. "He has sent you to your deaths and helped to guarantee that the prophecy can never come true."

He struck the two blades together and the Rangers were forced to shield their eyes as the swords were bonded into a single weapon. The new blade was a deadly black with a razor sharp edge. In the pummel was a red and green stone in a Ying Yang formation. The jewel flashed as Drac'cuul tested his new weapon.

"We haven't started to fight yet," Rocky said. A line from Star Wars popped into his mind. "Your overconfidence is your weakness."

"We will see Rocky," Drac'cuul shot back. "Defend yourselves, if you can!"

He pointed his sword at his first target, selecting David as the least experienced of his opponents. The energy from his armour flowed into the sword causing a ball of black flame to appear at the tip. Sam and Rocky moved to protect their friend but were forced away by a barrage of energy blasts. When the glow reached its peak, Drac'cuul the ball of fire at David.

"Dragon Armour Energise!" Rocky, Samoht, Jason and David called.

Their armour was similar to the costume worn by the White Tiger Ranger. David's was white with a black chest, while Samoht's was green, Jason's was red and Rocky's was a dark blue; each had a white chest area.

The black ball changed into a circular blade and easily sliced through Samoht's armour as it connected, cutting deeply into the clone's stomach. Most would have died from such a blow, but Samoht was protected by magic he didn't know existed. Instead he was thrown back and landed on the ground where he remained unmoving. David quick went to his aid, hoping to use his healing talents to help his friend.

Jason growled angrily and charged his opponent headlong. Burning with rage he pummelled Drac'cuul, pouring all his strength into his punches. His powers seemed to understand his intention and added more power to each blow by turning his fists into balls of flame. Meanwhile Rocky moved to protect a still groggy Tommy, all the time watching his red teammate and ready to step in if needed.

At first Jason's attack appeared to accomplish little, but as his anger increased he placed even more power into his blows. He finished his attack with a vicious uppercut that propelled Drac'cuul into the air followed by a huge torrent of flame.

"No way!" Rocky cried as Drac'cuul remained conscious and slowed himself until he was just floating in the air above them.

"A fine effort Jason," Drac'cuul acknowledged. His words were chosen carefully to further enrage the Red Ranger. "Not good enough, but so much better than Samoht's poor showing."

While Drac'cuul was talking, Jason had crouched low and started to draw as much power into his next attack as possible. For some reason the powers did not tell him what to do. Instead he had to use his previous experience as a Ranger and what was happening around him to guess how his attacks worked. He remembered how Drac'cuul had summoned the power to him before attacking and tried the same trick. As the flames flowed around his body, he directed them to his fists and feet.

"Hyah!"

Never in his life had Jason felt so much hatred towards one man. Even under Rita's spells he had never felt true anger. It fuelled his body and increased his confidence. It also scared him because the Jason Lee-Scott he had been before becoming a Ranger would never have wished someone dead. It was a change that Jason felt was definitely not for the better. As Jason shouted, he launched himself from the ground and hurtled upwards to where Drac'cuul was waiting.

"Flame Reverse!"

His fingers moved rapidly, channelling the power within his armour to control the Red Ranger's attack and turn it back on its wielder. While Jason was distracted, he kicked the Ranger away. Jason retaliated with a power charged fist connected with the villain's jaw, a move that resulted in a satisfying crack.

"So you mastered a Flaming Uppercut," Drac'cuul said. "A shame you lack the power to use it effectively."

"If it's power you want," Jason responded. "Try this!"

Directing the power to his arms and legs, Jason continued to throw punch after punch, kick after kick at the Black Dragon. Drac'cuul never attempted to block the shots. Instead he made himself an easy target and allowed the Red Ranger to crack his bones as he repeatedly punched his armour. With a final roar Jason channelled all his energy into his right fist and struck Drac'cuul on the top of the skull. All Jason's anger and frustration flowed into the punch as it bore down on Drac'cuul.

Drac'cuul's body went limp and crashed to the ground. His impact was sufficient to make a dent on the surface. His head snapped back on impact, crushing the skull. A cruel, mocking laugh could be heard. It grew louder as the body of the fallen Lord of Dragoria twitched and started to recover.

"Do you think this is just a suit of armour and that inside I am as vulnerable as a mere Ranger?" Drac'cuul asked, removing a plate to reveal a swirling mass inside. "So long as I'm wearing this, I cannot be harmed even if you manage to penetrate it. Face it, I am more powerful than anything you have faced before," Drac'cuul cried.

He stood upright, an impossibility given the bones Jason had snapped during his assault, but then with the explanation he had just given it made sense that despite the recent trauma, the Lord of Dragoria remained upright as he examined his shattered armour. "You Rangers will learn not to cross me." The metal reformed. "Did you really think I could be stopped so easily? This armour makes me invincible."

Drac'cuul's body changed, a thin layer on black film flowed over the metal and hardened into small scales. Drac'cuul's feet grew large to hold the claws revealed at the front. Likewise, a tail grew to allow him great balance and thick horns appeared from his head.

"My power continues to increase." He turned to where the Rangers were standing and gestured to the Red Ranger. "Care for another try Jason?"

"You're no different to Zedd or Goldar. One way or another, you're going down!" Jason warned in reply.

"Maybe," Drac'cuul conceded. "But first I think we need to take this battle elsewhere. After all, we wouldn't want your friends interfering would we?"

* * *

Power Mountain

"I've lost them," Alpha reported.

"I feared this would happen," Zordon said. "Drac'cuul has taken the Rangers to a zone we cannot monitor. Unless we can find out where he sent them, they have no chance of retrieval."

"What do we do now?" Sam asked.

"The hardest thing to do in such situations," the Doctor told her: "We wait."

"At least the others are on their way back."

"Yes, I don't think you've heard the last of that Zordon, the Council is filled with politicians who would just love to bring you up on charges."

Zordon nodded, well aware that he had made as many enemies in the last few years as he had friends during his entire lifetime. It couldn't be helped, his belief that the Earth should be protected from the threats its galactic neighbours had exposed it to were contrary to those who would have preferred to just destroy the planet. His creation of a Ranger team had been controversial, but giving them the power of the Zeo Crystal had caused uproar.

"The Council fears what would happen should the Rangers turn on them," he answered finally. "Today has given them more cause for concern because the Rangers have proven themselves superior to some of the Council's favoured heroes."

The Council would come for him, they would try to find a way to remove his from his role as Earth's guardian and then try to charge him with whatever charges they could find. The theft of the unlock code would not be enough though so long as Drac'cuul didn't escape Jason and the others.

"I have faith in my Rangers, Doctor, they will triumph."

A stream of light heralded the return of the Rangers from Erlion.

"Welcome back Rangers, it is good to see that you are all well."

"We made it back Zordon," was Zack's reply.

It was obvious what the young man wanted to ask, but couldn't bring himself to just demand the answer. Kimberly had no such problem.

"How's Tommy?"

"Drac'cuul kept his word and the Rangers were able to heal Tommy. Even now they are fighting him, although I do not know where."

The alarm sounded.

"It appears that we have another problem," Zordon said. "Observe the Viewing Screen!"

The image appeared of a young man dressed in a ninja outfit. His face was exposed as he effortlessly waded a path through Angel Grove's finest. Adam inhaled sharply as the man fought Detective Park before moving on. From the scowl of his father's face, Adam could tell no serious harm had been committed.

"Rita created her own Ninja," Aisha observed.

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi, the computer says that's Ninjakon!" Alpha said.

"Who?" Trey asked.

"Ninjakon," Ninjor repeated while studying the screen. "Yes that's him, I recognise the scar on his left cheek."

"So who is he?" was the next question.

Ninjor sighed. "Long ago before I decided to concentrate on the forging of Power Coins, I taught students at the Temple of Ninja Power," he announced proudly. "Some of my finest students went on to bring honour to the Power of Ninja. Ninjakon was the last student to enter the school and the reason I stopped taking students until Tommy and his friends paid me a visit."

It was strange to hear Ninjor sounding so uncomfortable.

"Ninjakon arrived at the Temple of Ninja Power just like those before him. He submitted to my teachings and endured the strict regime that helped students achieve greatness. As he had crossed the Desert of Despair I believed he was worthy of studying the powers I offered and he proved a skilled student."

On the screen they could see the young Ninjakon undergoing training in many of the skills the Ninja Rangers required.

"I taught him everything I could and he was a most attentive student. When it came time to graduate I was pleased to gift him with a Power Coin and to recommend him to the Morphin College to further his studies of the Morphin Grid. Unfortunately Ninjakon was a master of deception and managed to hide his true intentions from me. While he attended the Morphin College, the knowledge he desired led him to seek out the evil teachings of Tao Zento. He chose to abandon all that he had learnt in order to embrace the Path of Shadows. To prove himself worthy of his new masters he abused the powers he had been gifted."

"Let me guess," Kim said. "You tracked him down and defeated him."

"Insightful as always Kimberly," Ninjor replied. "But wrong. I never needed to track him down because Ninjakon returned to the Temple of Ninja Power in search of a weapon his new masters desired. We fought beyond the temple's walls in the Desert of Despair and although he was powerful, the desert provided me with the advantage I needed to defeat him. I stripped him of his Power Coin and severed his link to the Morphin Grid as well as his access to the temple, but I could not find a way to imprison him and when he vanished, I allowed him to leave.

"I do not know what happened to him following his defeat, but it is clear that his powers have returned to their previous levels."

"I had heard that Ninjakon had crossed paths with Lord Zedd," Zordon said. "Since the loss of his body it is possible that those competitors he locked away using magic have been released."

"At the moment he is just playing with them," Ninjor warned, watching as his former student tormented to police. "If he chose to hurt them..."

"We'll just have to make sure he doesn't have the opportunity to make that choice." Aisha said forcefully.

"Do not let your concern for your friends drive your anger Aisha," Zordon warned.

"I won't, Zordon," Aisha answered.

"We won't," Adam corrected. "We're coming with you."

"It's Morphin Time!"

* * *

If all their enemies were to teleport the Rangers to the zone Drac'cuul now occupied, the safety of innocent people would never be an issue. The world he had chosen was a mixture of land and water, much like Earth. It also had mountains, forests, streams and dangerous. Just like Earth.

"Do you like it? This is my world," Drac'cuul said to the surprised Rangers. "I alone rule this dimension and the island that links it to your world. Only those who are linked to my race by blood or power can enter this place. It will make a fitting location for your destruction."

"Enough talk!" Jason cried.

Once again he launched into a frenzied assault against Drac'cuul. Anger no longer fuelled his attacks, but the power of his blows had proved effective earlier and he hoped to repeat that success.

"I've seen Jason so powerful," Rocky said as he watched.

"I still can't believe Drac'cuul recovered from that onslaught," Sam said.

"It's not over yet," Tommy warned. "Look!"

Drac'cuul caught Jason's fist before it could connect and bashed the Red Ranger with his tail. Jason was thrown back into his friends, who now stood ready to take his place.

"Nice try," Drac'cuul said. "But this is ended, now!"

A massive ball of darkness appeared on the tip of Drac'cuul's tail and he sent it the Rangers' direction.

Once again their shield flared and the fire bounced harmlessly away as the three remaining Rangers prepared to attack.

"Hey," Rocky said as he opened his eyes. "I'm flying."

It wasn't true flight, but somehow the Dragon Orb had interacted with his normal Zeo powers and granted him the gravity manipulation of Zeo Zord IV's Battle Helmet that Adam normal used. The exact nature of his power was unimportant to the Blue Zeo Ranger as he experimented with his newfound ability. With a cry that echoed Jason's, Rocky attacked, lifting boulders to throw at the enemy. What he lacked in power he more than made up for in speed of attack.

"Gravity Smash!" Rocky called, wondering for a moment where the name had come from.

Still floating in the air, he extended his hands and allowed the full power he had received from the Dragon Orb to smash into the armoured villain. Gravity surrounding Drac'cuul intensified, pulling him into the ground, scattering earth as it created a massive crater. Rocky didn't allow that to stop him, as with his foot extended his body turned into a blur of motion as it slid towards Drac'cuul and made contact with his chin.

Drac'cuul was sent drilled even further into the planet's surface. Shifting the effect so that Drac'cuul's weight became negligible, Rocky threw him into the air and punched him hard enough to send him sprawling into the nearest sea. He followed close behind, leaving a recovering Samoht, a battered Jason, David and Tommy staring after him.

Moments later it was clear Rocky had caught up and punched him again as Drac'cuul crashed into the ground.

* * *

"Surround him," Green Zeo suggested.

"Blade Blasters!" White Ranger commanded.

"Zeo Pistols!" Green Zeo said.

"Fire!" Blue Ranger ordered.

"Well that worked," Pink Ranger said sarcastically as they picked themselves off the ground.

Ninjakon had used a trick the Rangers had relied on in the past. At the last second he had vanished, allowing the Rangers to shoot each other. By the time they'd recovered he had already disarmed Pink Zeo and deposited her weapon of the floor.

"You Rangers are not all you're cracked up to be," Ninjakon sneered.

"Or maybe we're fighting this the wrong way," Pink Ranger replied as she moved into his path. "Ninja Ranger Power!"

Ninjakon punched the convenient target only to watch in confusion when it turned into a pink mist, blinding him as the Pink Ranger appeared to one side and delivered a sharp kick to the side of his neck.

"Ninja Technique: Cage of Spikes!" she called, summoning twenty large spears above her head. With a gesture she sent them flying at her opponent.

Ninjakon dodged the many spears, unimpressed by the Pink Ranger's power. He was so confident he only noticed the trap an instant before it closed. The spears were never intended to strike him, just surround him and with Kimberly's skilful aim, they had formed a cage behind and to the sides. Knowing he had been tricked, he could only accept that some of the Rangers had some skill as he rolled forward to prevent the final spears trapping him inside.

"Ninja Technique: Duplication!" Blue Ranger called, using the Morphing Grid to create a series of clones.

The duplicates attacked simultaneously, making it difficult for Ninjakon to remember which Blue Ranger was real. His sword swiped at those that were in range and they exploded on contact, which pleased him greatly. However his pleasure turned to anger when he realised that the exploding clones were made from the same dust as the Pink Ranger's decoy.

"Is this the best that Ninjor students can manage?" Ninjakon asked. "I've seen those that failed to get beyond the Desert of Despair put up more of a challenge."

"You say that, but we're not the ones that are losing," Zack pointed out. "Ninja Technique..."

"Wait!" the villain begged. "If you are truly as capable as you're supposed to be, then you won't be afraid to make this a little more challenging. I challenge any of you to fight me, no powers. Just two ninjas facing off to determine the best."

"No way," Black Ranger said. "It's got to be a trick."

"Power down!" Aisha's armour vanished, leaving her in the clothes she had been wearing earlier. "You wanted a fair fight, you got one," she told the dark ninja.

Aisha had been a ninja long before she took the mantle of a Power Ranger and despite the changes in her life following the brief period time in Angel Grove had been reverse, she had maintained her fighting form and had even improved.

"Foolish child," Ninjakon ranted. "I am the embodiment of what a true ninja should be. How do you expect to defy me?"

"Like this," Aisha said, taking a defensive stance and noting her fellow Rangers had stepped away so she had room.

He nodded his approval, copying her stance. "At least you have spirit. Such a shame I have to crush it. Prepare to die!"

* * *

Rocky groaned as Drac'cuul continued to kick his butt. For all his ninja training and the increased speed from the Dragon, he had not been able to fight back once Drac'cuul had gained the upper hand. The Black Dragon had suckered him into believing that he could not fight back and then once the villain had gained an opening, he had been relentless. After a while the Dark Lord of Dragoria had had enough and had shown what true speed was like. Rocky had struck at full speed and had varied his punches as much as possible. Drac'cuul's reaction had been to laugh in his face as the punches and kicks passed through his body.

Then Drac'cuul decided to show Rocky his own gravity attacks. He punched Rocky repeatedly until the Ranger couldn't stand. Every block that Rocky attempted was kicked aside as the Black Dragon somehow anticipated his every move. His armoured tail, which had grown since donning the armour, hooked around Rocky's neck and lifted him into the air.

"Allow me to enlighten you about the gravity of your situation," Drac'cuul whispered.

Rocky found himself unable to move as the Black Dragon just hovered before him. Then, slowly at first but rapidly gaining momentum, the villain lashed out with his fist, increasing its weighted as it connected with the Ranger and sent him hurtling into the ground. Then the villain continued to pummel the Ranger, manipulating his weight to alternate between incredible speed and unbelievable punching power. As Drac'cuul continued to work over his opponent, he used his clawed feet to pierce Rocky's armour while choking the life out of him. He stopped when he sensed the Ranger was on the verge of collapse. True he intended to kill those that so blatantly defied his power, but first he wanted them to suffer.

"You cowards feel free to join in at any time," He said as he turned to face a recovered Tommy and Samoht.

"Take care of Rocky and Jason," Samoht said to Tommy.

Tommy nodded as Samoht attacked.

"Ah, the Clone Ranger," Drac'cuul smirked as the young fighter advanced. "Let's whether you're as big a failure as Rita claims."

"I'm no failure!" Samoht "I've kicked Minion's butt and now I'm going to kick yours."

Drac'cuul punched the air in Sam's direction, opened his fist, rotated his hand and gestured for Samoht to attack.

"Flash Gun!"

Samoht's costume exploded with light, blinding the villain long enough for Sam to press the attack. Using a blade of green light, the Ranger tried to cleave his armoured foe in half, but succeeded only in forcing him to back away.

"Distortion!"

The light bent around, turning him invisible and allowing him to gain a superior position. Even so he had to be careful because without a clear target, Drac'cuul started striking at anything that seemed to move.

"Burning ray beam!"

Using his fingers as pistols, Samoht fired one beam after another of burning energy towards his opponent. Drac'cuul was extremely fast and managed to dodge the blasts, deflecting some with his armour. He barely acknowledged the single shot that managed to connect with him.

"Genkidama!"

A column of green light surrounded Samoht as he drew as much energy as possible into a single burst of explosive light energy. At the moment it reached maximum capacity he threw the glowing ball and watched as the energy blast hit Drac'cuul in the chest. The blast knocked the Black Dragon to the ground and continued to flow into his exposed body. The limp form was driven into the ground as the Earth once again opened under the pressure to swallow him up.

"Cease!" Sam called.

As quickly as the energy had built up it dissipated back into the natural world. His strength drained by controlling such a great force of destruction, Samoht flopped to the ground. He doubted he would be able to repeat such a feat again. Every muscle ached from over use.

"Well, it seems the Clone Ranger got a bit overconfident," Drac'cuul sneered as he rose into the sky again, out of the Ranger's reach.

"Man, I don't believe it," Sam said.

Drac'cuul laughed as he looked down on the drained Ranger. "Three from the present, one from the past," he recited. "All gone, unless of course you think you're ready to go again. Well Sam?" He pointed at the weakened Green Ranger and a small glow appeared at the end of his finger. "Bang!"

A beam of black energy shot from his fingertip and struck Samoht through his shoulder. Sam fell like a stone, leaving Drac'cuul to triumph.

"This isn't over yet Drac'cuul," Tommy warned, reaching into his pocket and pulling out one of the crystal orbs the others had possessed.

"Impossible, the prophecy stated three from the present, one from the past, another from future times…"

"And one from beyond the veil's reach," Tommy finished, unsure how he knew that as he fingered the orb and felt it pulsate in his palm. "An incurable poison reversed at the last moment by an enemy's weapon. I think that would qualify as an escape from the veil."

He closed his hand and felt the power within the orb as knowledge seeped into his mind.

"You made a mistake when you chose me to be a target," he told the not-so-confident villain. "When your armour healed me, it widened the pathways within my body to do so. If it hadn't of done so, I wouldn't be able to use this power. You made me Drac'cuul, now I'm going to end it."

* * *

The Medical Bay, Power Mountain

_"Line of the Dragon heed my call, awaken!" _

The command was distant yet forceful as it reached the unconscious mind of the room's only living occupant. For too long the strange visitor from the possible future of an alternative universe had slumbered in a healing sleep. Now it was time for him to awaken again and the commands of the Black Dragon had started that process.

Slowly at first the comatose Ranger had regained his awareness. His genetic link to the Oliver, DeSantos and Scott lines had given him enough of the genetic material from Rocky, Tommy and Jason to echo their link to the Morphin Grid. The command to awaken had ceased when the Black Dragon had relinquished control over all his servants on Earth. His recovery had only intensified, as with vast portions of his memory unavailable, he knew only that his mission was to defend the Earth. ~Who am I?~

"What is this?" he asked, noticing the small crystal orb that hovered before him. Somewhere deep inside he acknowledged that his voice was that of a normal human and not the incredibly fast speech he had previously exhibited, but not being able to remember his recent past, that knowledge was useless to him. He reached out and grabbed the Dragon Orb, feeling its power as he did so. In a swirl of almost yellow, almost orange light, he teleported away.

* * *

"Quaking Punch!" Tommy called as he flew toward Drac'cuul.

With his hands encased in black armour, he punched the villain's armour repeatedly, gradually cutting through the tough metal by sheer brute force. But Drac'cuul was not about to stand there and allow the Ranger to claim victory. After the first few punches he chose to fight back with his own version of the technique.

"Volcano Blast!"

Tommy pushed his hands together and a stream of magma erupted from his palms, engulfing the opposing warrior. Drac'cuul's armour turned black as its outer most layer was turned to ash. If left there was a chance that in a few centuries the attack would have succeeded. The Black Dragon raised his arms and the ash fell away, taking the magma with it.

"Is that it?" Drac'cuul asked.

"Just getting warmed up," Tommy smirked. Inside he was panicking, realising that two attacks that should have accomplished something had been proven impotent.

"Typhoon Buster!" Drac'cuul snarled, ensnaring Tommy in a twisted web of black flame. "That is all."

"Lightning Strike!" Nate cried as he appeared behind the villain.

"What?"

It seemed that the orbs had granted each of the chosen the same powers, however their personalities determined how quickly they absorbed different portions of that knowledge. Jason had gained an affinity for using fire and matching it with his brute strength, Rocky had tried to use speed and had managed to tap into the wind element in order to fly and alter gravity to increase his speed. Samoht's skill with magic had allowed him to adapt his attacks to those involving light. While David had yet to actually attack, his subconscious mind and protective nature allowed him to create energy shields and enhanced David's the ability to heal. Tommy had drawn on the dragon's ferocious side and used it to fuel attacks that were incredibly destructive. Nate's confused state did not allow his subconscious to make such choices.

He needed to hit the target, hard enough to take the villain down and keep him there. That need for a weapon resulted in a deadly arsenal, which should have represented the dragon's claws and teeth, but emerged as weapons that the Ranger was more familiar with.

The heavy weapon sword in the shape on a large claw appeared in his hand and he had to bend his legs to support the immense weight. When he felt the urge to leap though he knew he had made the right choice, jumping high into the air before bringing the sword down on his foe.

Drac'cuul grabbed the massive blade and the two combatants fought for control. Eventually Drac'cuul abandoned his strategy and summoned two of his own blades. The two warriors clashed again.

"Dragon Claw!"

A golden glove formed on Nate's left hand and when he opened his fist he revealed the dangerously sharp talons concealed within. He drove his hand forward, relying on his sword to keep Drac'cuul busy, and succeeded in breaking the villain's guard.

"Who are you?" Drac'cuul demanded as Nate pressed the assault while Tommy attempted to revive David.

"Just another Ranger," Nate answered.

"You're a fool, a mere child playing with forces you cannot understand. My armour is immune to parlour tricks. Allow me to show you what firepower is all about."

He raised his hands over his head and joined the palms together.

"Sun Blast!"

The sky went dark as the sun left the sky. The heat was unbearable and yet the planet remained intact, as did Drac'cuul's hand, which now held the giant ball of flame. This was not the true sun, but merely a representation of its power. But the pain Nate felt as the ball of fire exploded in front of him was equally unbearable.

* * *

Ninjakon had lied about not using his powers. The moment their fight had started he had attempted to throw a ball of energy in her direction. Fortunately Aisha had had more sense than to blindly trust the dark ninja and when she exploded into a column of dust, it became clear that she had not powered down and had been using a duplicate the entire time.

"Power Stick!"

She fought passed his defences and drove the weapon into Ninjakon's chest. She was unsurprised when the stick met no resistance. Faced with a superior foe, Ninjakon had retreated. In a beam of purple light she teleported home. The other Rangers were close behind.

* * *

The Black Dragon stood in the air, hovering over the pit where he assumed the Rangers were now resting in peace. Nate and Tommy had easily fallen after exposure to the sun blast. Now he was waiting for the dust to clear in order to pick off any survivors. Replacing his twin swords with the brass short sword he used to control his armour, he triggered the transformation sequence, which would take his armour to its final, Ultimate phase.

His size actually decreased during this transformation as his body was coated in silver. The brass sword became a part of his chest plate so he naturally held his two remaining swords at the ready. His head armour disappeared allowing the smirk on his face to be clearly seen.

"Now, I finish it!" Drac'cuul proclaimed.

"Scale Shield, release!"

The Rangers were alive, intact and if their faces were any indication, very angry. A blast of sonic energy from David indicated just how angry.

"Thanks David," Tommy said as the six warriors rose from the ground, their armour glowing slightly as they did so. Flames surrounded his black armour.

"Yeah if you hadn't gotten that shield up in time…" Rocky trailed off. Blue flames took on the outline of wings behind him.

Samoht nodded in response as he clenched and unclenched his fists, allowing bursts of green energy to ricochet off the ground.

"You're going down, Drac'cuul," Jason promised, red fire bathing him in a golden tan.

David and Nate stood behind them; the latter holding the same large sword that he had used earlier while David appeared unarmed. Once again picking the white armoured warrior as the weakest target, Drac'cuul attacked. David shifted and unleashed a volley of kicks. The Black Dragon attempted to throw another fireball, but David reacted first.

"Scale Shield!"

The blast reflected back into Drac'cuul's face.

"My power is too much for you, Rangers," he warned.

He blasted them with another combination of red and green energy.

"It isn't enough," Rocky complained.

"Rangers!" Zordon's voice boomed through the heavens. "Remember that you are powered by the same source that fuels your opponent. Individually each of you is his equal, when united his only advantage is his experience."

"Zordon's right, let's do this!" Jason cried enthusiastically.

"Right!" the others cried, each holding out their orb. "Dragon Orbs, unite!"

Their armour was replaced by the coloured fabric similar to those worn by the Ninja Rangers, but without the masks or sleeves. Their bodies adjusted as their powers seemed to take on a life of their own, driven by the willpower of the six Rangers.

"Swipe Punch!" Rocky called.

He interlocked his fingers, forming a single large fist. Like a dragon's powerful tail his body connected, sending the villain hurtling backwards to where Jason was waiting.

"Fire Storm!"

Small balls of fire the size of hailstones fell from the sky. Gradually they grew larger until they were the size of boulders.

"Talon Blades!" Samoht cried.

A clawed glove appeared on his hand and he used it to open a tear in the villain's armour.

"Tornado Tackle!" Tommy shouted. He ploughed his body into the still stunned Drac'cuul. Driving him into the ground.

"Dragon Breaker!" Nate shouted, summoning a large cannon, which hummed with energy as he pulled the trigger.

"Sonic Fury!" David called, his voice echoing and increasing in pitch as it tore at the villain's armour.

Samoht added a stream of flashing lights and between them they managed to render him blind and deaf. Drac'cuul was confused, his armour failing to protect him from the continued attack. His eyes were slow to heal, a frailty that he shared by many dragons.

"Dragon Fire!" they called together as their bodies ignited into flames and they merged into a single stream of incinerating, obliterating, purifying fire. Drac'cuul opened his eyes in time to see the terrifying ball of destruction as it closed in on him. The flames reached through the villain's armour, leaving it unaffected as it cleansed the evil within.

"No, this isn't possible!" Drac'cuul screamed. "My armour is invincible!"

"This is over Drac'cuul!" Jason said as he picked up the warlord's swords. He handed one to Tommy and while David and Samoht joined the Red Zeo Ranger, Rocky and Nate joined him by placing their hands on the blade he held.

"Ignite!" the six warriors toned.

The blades, so long a vital part of the Lord of Dragoria's arsenal twisted from the intense heat, melting away to form a puddle at their feet, which vanished when nobody was looking. Drac'cuul's armour bulged under the strain, the stench of burning flesh pouring from the eye slots. He struggled to remain upright, counting on the nano-probes to restore him. His concentration slipped as the pain intensified and Drac'cuul was unable to maintain their position in his shielded zone. The Rangers and their opponent were returned to the real world as the Black Dragon struggled to survive.

"Do it," Jason said, holding his Dragon Orb toward Tommy.

Rocky, David, Samoht and Nate did the same, watching as the remaining power of their orbs flowed into Tommy before finding its way to his fist.

"Oblivion Punch!" Tommy yelled, throwing all of his strength behind a final blow. Instinctively targeting the spot where the seventh Dragon Orb was located in the armour's power circuits, Tommy's fist shattered the metal plating, grabbed the orb and ripped it free from its housing.

Drac'cuul's armour had many functions and few priorities. Normally the commands and will of its wearer was its number one priority, but when threatened with destruction and as heavily damaged as it had been by Tommy's punch, the armour assumed a new priority: survival. The armour exploded outward, separating from the still burning Drac'cuul and then reforming as its repair functions took over.

"This is not over," Drac'cuul cried. "It cannot be. Hear me, children of the Dragon's line, I command you: defend me."

His words were meaningless though since without the Dragon Orb, the sword no longer enhanced his will. And without the sword's powers at his disposal, his ability to control others was gone. He was still screaming defiantly as the Rangers grabbed his withered body and teleported away, his armour in tow.

* * *

The Council Chamber, Erlion

Later

"So it is your contention that no crime has been committed despite the fact that several of your Rangers admit to breaking into the Hall of records and stealing the unlock code for a devastating weapon?" Councillor Arum asked, clearly outraged that Zordon would dare to simply dismiss his students' actions.

"Indeed," Zordon answered. "In order for the prophecy to be realised, which it was, it was necessary for Drac'cuul to activate his armour. Only then could the promised warriors ascend to defeat him. Since their actions were guided by prophecy, they cannot be held accountable for any misdemeanours."

"And what if Drac'cuul had escaped or worse killed them?" Arum demanded.

"Then the prophecy would not have been fulfilled and I would have been proven a fool," Zordon answered.

Arum sighed, this was getting them nowhere. He didn't like it but Zordon had a point, his actions were justified. He looked to his fellow councillors for help but found that while there were a few discontented faces, nobody was willing to back him in his bid to have the White  
Master arrested.

"If I may," Councillor Sutra said softly. "I believe that Zordon does not have a case to answer here today. His actions were perfectly justified and his students performed admirably." He paused thoughtfully. "However, there have been a number of times in recent years that Zordon's judgement has been called into question and his methods have been deemed less than legal. I suggest that this hearing be suspended immediately. We thank you for your time Zordon, you are free to go."

* * *

"What were you thinking?" Arum had demanded in the minutes of heated debate that had ended the impromptu trial. "We could have had him on trial and exposed him for the fraud he is."

"Your evidence was circumstantial at best and completely refuted by having a prophecy in place," Sutra had responded.

"But you let him go, just like that."

"Did I? I suspended this hearing as soon as it became clear that Zordon was innocent of any wrong doing in this case. It is not our job to conduct a witch-hunt, as the humans would call it. However, I too have some concerns surrounding the esteemed  
Grid Master. I suggest that we monitor events on Earth more closely from now on and should Zordon give us reason to question him, we shall do so. That my friends is our job."

The pieces had been set in place for one of the best-planned schemes in the history of the Council. And when he was done there would not be anything left of Zordon's legacy.

* * *

Power Mountain,

A few days after Drac'cuul's defeat.

"So Tommy is completely back to normal except for a few changes in his body's energy conduits, Drac'cuul is back in prison and hopefully will stay there this time, Zordon convinced the Council to drop any charges, and the Doctor… the Doctor is covered in gloop."

"Sorry," the Doctor said sheepishly poking his head around the door, "little accident with the gel packs."

"Apart from that everything turned out all right," Rocky finished.

"What about him?" Kimberly asked, pointing to the image of Nate on the Viewing Screen.

There had been a few conversations following Drac'cuul's defeat, the identity of their guest had remained unresolved. It quickly became obvious though that as soon as Nate discovered who he was, he was more than willing to share.

"He decided he wanted to leave," Aisha told her. "We couldn't force him to stay and he promised to call if he needed us."

"I am certain that when he has had time to resolve his problems, he will return to us," Zordon said.

Zordon looked at the rest of his Rangers, proud of all of them. Together they had triumphed over the Black Dragon and Ninjakon.

"Impressive aren't they?" Ninjor asked quietly.

"Indeed Ninjor," Zordon replied. "I never thought I would witness so many defenders in one room. With this many protectors the Earth will never fall."

"I hope you are right Zordon," Ninjor said. "I hope you are right."

"Rangers, once again you have proven yourselves to be the Earth's greatest protectors." Zordon said, attracting everyone's attention. "The danger has passed for now. I suggest you take depart and take the opportunity to return to your normal lives. I will contact you if you are needed."

"What about the Dragon Orbs?" Samoht asked. After Tommy had delivered the final blow, the orbs had turned black and cracked.

"The orbs were intended for a single use to fulfil the prophecy. Now that Drac'cuul has been stripped of his ability to cause further harm, they will remain beyond use."

The Rangers nodded their understanding and teleported away. Today they were going to get on with their lives.

* * *

It was a new prison, a better cell than the one before, designed by the best in their field to ensure that Drac'cuul could never escape again. The Council had taken drastic measure to ensure the Black Dragon remained out of harm's way; his ability to control others through the power of his armour was gone forever, but it was known that he could inspire just as many to his cause through charm and promises. So while left alive he had been one of the first candidates for undergoing the Data Card process under which his body was transformed into digital data and stored within the confines of a computer card while his physical body was placed in another dimension. It was hoped that without a physical presence his influence would diminish and his support would crumble.

Drac'cuul's two underlings were not so lucky. While their master could claim to be a political prisoner, the Council refused to acknowledge them as part of his army. In the Council's eyes they were terrorists and were treated as such. For their crimes they were sentenced to death.

For his part, the Master had gotten what he needed from the failed Lord of Dragoria. The Black Dragon's armour while damaged had still provided him with the technology he needed. He had at first considered waiting until the armour had completed its repairs, but in the end had cheated by travelling a decade into the future and had rewired the armour with parts from his TARDIS, creating a Lazarus Chamber. It had taken days of pain filled waiting, but it was worth it when he emerged, looking very much different from his old self.

The armour remained untouched following the Master's tampering, one of many objects used by villains attacking the Earth and later lost. One day the Rangers would regret not finding such objects, but not yet.

**End **


	15. Wheels in Motion

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any other series used in this fanfic. No profit is being made from this venture.

Wheels in Motion

The battle had taken a disturbing turn that the Rangers had not expected. When they had first been alerted, they had assumed that this was one of Rita's monsters, a little ugly even by her standards, but made from either clay or an organic material combined with magic. The Zeo Rangers had taken the mission, assuming that the battle would not require the presence of the Morphin team.

Then had come the surprise. As the Zeo Megazord's blade had cut through the grey skinned brute, they had been surprised to find that it was not one of Rita's creations; inside the horned beast's skin there was the cold metallic shell of a Machine monster. The realisation that their last cut had probably not even phased it didn't sink in until the monster was on the move again, an uncontrolled engine of destruction.

"How do we fight it when it keeps walking away?" Tanya asked, frustrated by the machine's lack of interest in battling them. It seemed far more interested in blowing chunks out of nearby buildings.

Before they could find a strategy, a figure appeared on the building to the beast's left. It was another machine, clearly female but certainly not Archerina. She appeared to be partially human given the areas of flesh that were not covered by the dull grey metal. And she carried a whip, a long thick whip with an oddly serrated attachment on the end and which crackled with purple energy as she gently flicked it through the air.

"Who is that?" Kat asked.

The others didn't know, but as they watched the mysterious woman leapt onto the beast's shoulder. She lashed the beast with her whip, cleaving away a thin strip of fleshy material. Instead of glancing off though, the sharp blades on the whip dug into the creature's shoulder. The beast started thrashing as she sent wave after wave of purple energy through the steel cable.

"Oh no, she can control it," Adam realised.

The whip was a method of robot control, allowing her to gain access to the machine's circuitry and from there allowing her to control it. The serrated edges provided an interface while the purple energy transmitted instructions in a way that would punish the machine should it decide not to obey.

"Duck!" Rocky warned as the beast suddenly gave them its undivided attention and loosed a stream of fire.

The Megazord twisted, allowing the flame to pass by its left side before closing the gap between them. As they marched forward, they changed Battle Helmets, allowing the Megazord to use its firepower against the machine.

"Red Battle Zord!" Tommy called.

Using a two pronged attack, the Rangers were able to outflank their opponent and deliver a devastating blow with the Power Sword. They were not surprised as the machine dropped to the ground that the smaller robot abandoned her post. They were surprised when she turned her attention to them.

* * *

For months the virus left in the Power Chamber's computer had remained dormant, awaiting a designated condition that Gasket had specified; only when the Zords were deployed against a monster capable of controlling them but lacking the ability to bypass their software failsafes, would the virus trigger. As the lone female warrior used her whip against the Red Battle Zord, the virus detected that its time had come.

The virus generated an error in one of the Power Chamber's subsystems - a little protected and hardly noticed subroutine dealing with the teleportation of organic waste into the sewers that ran through Angel Grove. By distorting the coordinates so that the computer attempted to teleport the empty canisters to the exact spot where they were sitting, it created a power drain that increased as the Power Chamber's computer assessed that it needed more power to complete the transfer. In a rapid escalation the circuit breakers tripped for a fraction of a second, just long enough for the virus to lower the protection on the Zords.

* * *

From somewhere the woman had managed to find a second whip. As she jumped toward the Red Battle Zord, she used the left-hand whip against its chest panel. The whip bounced away, by the second whip somehow managed to chip away a flake of armour. That was enough for her to scramble the machine - for there was no way she could actually control the Zord.

As the red Zord crashed, she repeated the attack against the Zeo Megazord, affecting its operating system enough that the Rangers were forced to abandon their position or risk injuring innocent people. They jumped free, landing on a roof top where she was waiting.

"Who are you?" Tommy demanded as they fought.

Getting close was proving especially difficult since her whips seemed to be able to change direction at a moment's notice.

"You can call me Ferris," she told him as she blasted the Rangers with a ball of electricity.

She didn't wait for the Rangers to recover from her first strike. She lashed out with both whips, throwing the Rangers around. With a more precise flick, the whip coiled around Blue Zeo's neck, gradually tightening until it cut off the flow of blood to the brain. There was a misconception that the quickest way to strangle somebody was to choke them from the front, using the hands to crush the windpipe. In fact crushing the arteries on the sides of the neck was a quicker and easier method of killing. And as the whip seemed to pulse, the crushing power increased, quickly bring the Ranger to his knees.

"Stay back!" Ferris warned as the other Rangers approached their friend. "I only need to make a small movement and Rocky is dead."

"Let him go or well shoot," Red Zeo told her, never lowering his Zeo Pistol.

"If you shoot, he'll be killed immediately, no matter whether I survive," she answered, walking toward her hostage.

Tommy didn't lower his weapon. There was no point in doing so since it would allow her to gain more hostages. As much as he hated to admit it though, they could not free Rocky... yet.

"Goodbye Rangers," Ferris laughed as she teleported away, taking the barely conscious Ranger with her.

* * *

"He's regaining consciousness," somebody said, the voice cold and slightly familiar.

"Good. While the study of the human subject is interesting, I compute that our time is extremely limited."

Rocky cracked open his eyes and tried to ignore the pounding in his head. Where was he and how did he get there? And why couldn't he move? The last question was answered as some of the feeling returned to his extremities. Somebody had bound his arms and legs tightly to whatever chair he had been placed in. The bonds allowed very little movement and with the dim light he was very uncomfortable.

"He is now aware, we can begin," the female voice stated.

There was a whoosh of power as a spotlight was turned on, the powerful beam causing him to close his eyes and squint until he became comfortable with the glare

"Hello Rocky, I've been waiting a long time for this," she said.

Something hard struck the side of his face; she had slapped him. He saw her move to strike him again when the robotic voice intervened.

"Not now, we need him undamaged."

"Of course, my apologies," she responded and Rocky thought for a moment that she had curtseyed.

"Do not let it happen again. When the process is complete, you may do with him as you please."

Discussion ended the female turned her attention back to Rocky and pulled a long probe into position. Rocky's eyes widened slightly. It was a mind drill, he remembered Trey telling him how the Machine Empire enjoyed using them to extract information from prisoners. It was not a pleasant experience and he remembered that not all those exposed to the device survived having their minds forcibly copied.

"You recognise this then," the female observed. "Good, it will save time if you know the damage it can cause. Don't move."

The Mind Probe was a very sensitive tool. If the subject moved too much, the beam would not be able to restore the information after copying it. Deciding that he did not wish to become a vegetable, Rocky tried not to move as the device was activated. That didn't stop him from trying to resist or the scream as the machine tore every available thought from his head.

"The first probe is complete. The computer estimates twenty minutes for a surface copy. If you want an accurate copy it will take longer," she reported.

"Complete the surface scan and then place him in the empty tube. The computer can complete the scan with him unconscious once it has mapped his mind; we do not want to allow him a chance to escape."

"Sit back and enjoy the experience, Blue Ranger," she told him, leaning deliberately forward so he could see her face. Disbelief was the obvious emotion, followed by panic. "From here things only get worse."

"Josie?"

Whatever answer he received was drowned by his screams as the probe was reactivated.

* * *

Awareness returned hours later and despite having slept for hours, Rocky was exhausted. It was difficult to focus on what had occurred, but he did remember Josie's face as she had started the probe.

~Was it Josie or a machine that looked like her?~

Josie and her sister Jennifer had been allies for months when the Rangers had discovered that they were secretly agents of the Machine Empire; Josie had been aware of her origin while Jennifer, who Rocky had dated for a while, had believed that she was human. Jennifer's death had led to the Rangers destroying the Machine Sky Base, an event that should have destroyed Josie as well.

It appeared that she had survived the experience, the attempt to repair her damaged skin had failed, leaving vast potions of her body exposed. In fact only her legs seemed to have been repaired following her destruction.

"So you're awake." He recognised her voice this time despite the slightly robotic undertone.

"How..."

"How did I survive?" she asked coldly. "Unlike humans, we machines are capable of surviving a few knocks. But it was a close thing. For a long time there was darkness. It wasn't until your battle with Minion disturbed the remains of the Sky Base that things changed. Don't look so surprised, we landed on the surface of the Moon in an area shielded from observers on the Earth below. I don't know why Zordon didn't detect us, maybe Minion damaged his surveillance more than he let on."

That was true. Zordon's satellite network had been vast, but following recent events, there were massive gaps in the sensor net. It was possible that Ferris - and whoever her companion was, had managed to survive without being detected.

"But we destroyed everything in the Sky Base," Rocky pointed out.

"You couldn't destroy everything, even if you had gone through the wreckage blasting whatever survived your first attempt, something would have survived. Actually you did a thorough job of destroying the complex and everything within it; I was lucky that anything had survived and that he chose to repair me."

"He?"

"Prince Grommet of course," she told him, evidently amused. "Did you think that there wouldn't be backups? He is a member of the Royal House of Gadgetry after all."

Grommet? Rocky wasn't sure whether or not to be relieved by that news. The Rangers had encountered Grommet twice and on both occasions he had been thought destroyed. He hadn't done anything that marked him as a major threat to the Rangers, except for the fact that he had survived two attempts to destroy him. The Rangers had truly believed that he had been permanently disconnected following the destruction of the Sky Base; his program had resided in the centralised computer banks.

"It wasn't easy for him to survive," Josie told him. She had been monitoring and decoding the electrical impulses of his brain. "Most of Prince Grommet's programming had been lost during the explosion, but his core data had been downloaded to the more versatile body of Mechanised Infiltration Unit Seven, known to humans as Josie Belle, better known as me."

Grommet's programming was far more complex than Josie's, and from the moment of transfer he had been able to rewrite the inferior machine's repair systems, prompting her circuitry to reroute essential functions and gradually restore minimal functionality as his most recently acquired memory had replayed over and over again.

_Klank flicked the switch, powering down the prince's circuits before he could overload. _

_"I will begin work immediately Sire," he promised. _

_"There is no rush, you have other duties to fulfil. Grommet will not know how much time has passed." Mondo walked from the room, not seeing the faint glow of his son's eyes narrow behind him. "Now, onto more important issues, has she been prepared?" _

In that instant King Mondo had managed to destroy the loyalty of one of his staunchest supporters and the machine that had prevented Gasket from taking over the empire in the King's absences. His careless dismissal coupled with Grommet's fractured logic center had encouraged the prince that his father had become defective. And like all defective machines in the Royal House of Gadgetry, part of Grommet's program called for its immediate replacement.

"The prognosis was not positive at the beginning," Josie explained, "This body had suffered severe fatigue and impact related damage that had led to the failure of repair programs. It took months for Prince Grommet to reroute the higher brain functions so that he could guide the repair process. At that point he had allowed me to assume control of our runtime, after ensuring that it would be dedicated to restoring the localised network functions."

During the repair period they had interfaced closely. Josie had used the network link to interact with other servants of the Machine Empire to gain a true assessment of the damage.

"Repairing myself would have taken too long, but by attempting to gain control of a Cog or at least one of Klank's construction droids, I managed to speed up the process." She paused so that she could look the Ranger in the eyes. "I survived no thanks to you and your friends. Now you're going to help us destroy the Power Rangers."

Rocky laughed. He couldn't believe his luck that of all the things Josie or Ferris, as she called herself could have chosen to do to him, she had decided to turn him evil. It was a plan doomed to failure, it had done so every time that Rita, Zedd, Gasket or Mondo had tried it in the past.

"I won't work for you," he told her defiantly. "You can force me, but I'll fight you all the way."

"See my prince, I told you he wouldn't understand," Ferris said, clearly not addressing the bound Ranger.

"Your ability to anticipate the behaviour of the human subject has been noted," came the reply from Prince Grommet.

As Rocky watched, Grommet descended from on high, a single red eye mounted on a robotic arm that allowed him to move around the room.

"I know my appearance is less than aesthetically pleasing," Grommet stated, mistaking the Ranger's expression. "However given the power this new form provides, it is a perfectly logical choice."

"You're nothing more than a computer," Rocky stated.

The response was for his chair to start spinning, granting the teen a quick and unobstructed view of the room he was in as Grommet deigned to increase the light. The room was a small office with a clear window and door that led to a large factory.

"I am much more than a computer," Grommet told him. "I am the mind of this complex and control the foundry, the factories and the distribution network. From here I can create my Cyborgs and dispatch them to target your little city."

Rocky processed what he had been told and quickly reached the conclusion that Grommet was right, he was more than just a computer. The prince appeared to have a complete manufacturing plant at his disposal, and Rocky hated to think what the machine would do with that technology. More importantly, Grommet was the manufacturing plant and if he ever found a way to become mobile.

"You do not realise just how much I control," Grommet continued. "This factory was once used to build flying machines before Gasket took it over and replaced the workers with Infiltration Units."

"Prince Gasket replaced the entire town," Ferris corrected.

The thought of an entire town filled with creations of the Machine Empire, going about perfectly ordinary tasks, fitting in among the general population until ordered to strike, was probably the most frightening thing he had learnt since he had woken up.

"Not just the town," Grommet told her. "Gasket's logs reveal that he planted many agents in positions around the Earth, all waiting for the order to strike. Imagine it Ranger, a lone saboteur in one of Earth's energy production facilities, traitors in your armies and leaders. Gasket's plan was extremely logical, unfortunately my brother's processing abilities were too limited to oversee the task."

"So you see Rocky, it doesn't matter whether you are willing to surrender, the Mind Probe has already copied your mind. Once implanted into a suitable Infiltration Unit and given your Zeonisers, we can destroy the other Rangers from within." Josie paused and turned Rocky's chair towards the back of the room. "I calculate that you'll find the company most interesting."

If Rocky had had a hard time believing everything that had happened so far, it was nothing compared to the shock of the sealed chambers containing four humans he had believed to be dead.

"Yes, the Belle family," Grommet observed. "They're quite alive, I assure you. My brother kept them in case the Infiltration Units required replacement skin at anytime."

The other Infiltration Units had used a synthetic flesh product that they could replace every few days. However, due to their interaction with the Rangers, the replica Belles required real skin grown from samples taken from the humans. Gasket had kept the family unconscious, but surprising well cared for.

"Are they...?"

"No," Grommet answered. "They will continue to function until I deactivate their life support, just as you will survive until the Rangers are destroyed. I could release them now and they would awaken in a few hours with no memory of recent events."

"And now, you shall join them," Ferris told him. "I don't expect you to trust me, but I assure you that I am going to enjoy this, Rocky."

"Wait, you haven't finished the story," Rocky protested. He was desperate for some way to buy more time. Once they sealed him away, he doubted he would have the opportunity to escape. He needed to remain in control of his surroundings, or at least remain as in control as his current situation allowed.

"You're stalling," Josie accused, recognising the tactic. Since she knew that help would not be coming though she decided that there would be no loss in disclosing the information.

Time had passed in the ruined Sky Base as Josie made use of whatever machine she could take control of at any given time. As each day passed, she tried to compute new ways to speed up the process, but was limited by the materials available. In the end she had decided and Grommet had agreed, that the needed to get to Earth.

"Finding Cogs in the correct placement was extremely difficult," she told him. "I needed soldiers that were located close to one of the ammunition silos and that still retained their optical lasers; I don't know how such a stockpile managed to survive your little tantrum, but they were intact and primed."

Projecting the resulting blast had proven more difficult since Josie's processor had been damaged, making calculations difficult. It took a sustained explosion to lift the heavy metal components off the Lunar surface, followed by a smaller series of timed detonations to push it in the right direction.

"I calculate that a three millionth of a deviation was all it would have taken to miss the Earth altogether," she told him. "Fortunately Prince Grommet found the errors in my calculations before we attempted detonation. While you Rangers were preoccupied dealing with Minion, we managed to guide a large chunk of debris toward Earth."

Most of the structure had burnt up as it passed through the atmosphere, but some survived the heat of re-entry and a final explosion was enough to direct it to a landing somewhere in Russia. There Grommet had been able to signal Infiltration Units designed by Gasket and already on the planet to assist them. They were taken to one of Gasket's production facilities where work commenced on their new bodies.

"Wait," Rocky said as he tried to understand everything they had said, searching for something he could use to his advantage. "How are you going to convince the others I simply escaped, they're bound to run their scans?"

"That is why I chose this facility," Gasket boasted. "This is where my brother developed his limited time travel technology. I intend to use a few of the remaining units to transport Ferris, our new agent and myself back to the battle where I suffered my first defeat. There I will replace your past self with my agent, changing the past and ensuring a victory for the Machine Empire."

"Where is this factory anyway?" Rocky asked, still attempting to stall the inevitable.

"Do not answer that Ferris," Grommet ordered. "These humans have a habit of escaping from our forces. We do not need to give them a target to strike. Now, put him in the pod."

* * *

The Rangers had been searching for Rocky since arriving back at the Power Chamber. A detailed review of the battle had revealed the identity of their opponent, although it was difficult to understand how Josie had survived. Using that information though they had started searching for traces of Cog Oil.

So far their search was proving futile. They didn't know where Josie was hiding, Earth, or perhaps some distant planet. And with each hour that passed the chances of finding their friend alive diminished.

"Oh no, not another one," Kat whined as the alarm sounded. Continued attacks on the city had not helped their cause. They had called in some of their allies, Skull and Jamie to monitor the Power Chamber while they dealt with the likes of mechanised Godzillas and ugly mecha worms.

"Let's go guys," Tommy instructed, looking at the situation report. "We'll take the - is that a deep sea diver?"

"Affirmative," Billy told him.

"Good luck Bro," Jason said. "We'll try and keep the other one busy until you can get there."

The Morphin Rangers were not as effective against Machine monsters as the Zeo Rangers, although that was mostly due to their powers failing against the Iron that Mondo preferred using to construct his machines. Still they had proven that they could hold the flesh-covered monsters at bay long enough for the Zeo Rangers to finish them; the Power Sword had proven totally ineffective against them.

"It's Morphin Time!"

* * *

Awareness returned and Rocky was relieved to find himself back in the chair. The capsule had been a terrifying experience, and had he been Billy, he expected he would have gone mad from the confined space. He didn't know why they had awakened him again, they had taken pretty much everything they wanted before sedating him. Still, he had used the opportunity to learn more about his situation.

Apart from himself and the Belles, there were no other prisoners kept in the facility or at other locations. The Belles were being kept because nobody had bothered disposing of them yet. He had been a little taken aback to learn that Jennifer Belle was in truth named Jessica; she had adopted the name Jen after bullies had started calling her Jezebel. It seemed that when the Machine Empire had copied her mind their computers had taken her preferred name as her real name. Nobody would have noticed such a slip except perhaps her relatives, but it gave Rocky hope that perhaps there would be some flaw in the copy they were making of him that would tip the Rangers off to the impostor.

As he remained half-lying, half-sitting in the chair, his thoughts turned to escape. His Zeonisers had been taken from him and he was unsure what Morphin energy if any he possessed. His Dragon Orb had used up its powers and he no longer possessed a Gem Coin Transformer. It appeared that his only hope lay in retrieving his Zeonisers.

"Good, you're awake," Ferris remarked when she noticed his head moved. "You will repeat the words 'Zeo Ranger III - Blue'."

Rocky refused. It was clear that whatever failsafe that Billy and Zordon had placed on the Zeonisers meant that Grommet's copy was not realistic enough to use them. So long as he refused to help them, they wouldn't be able to use his powers as a weapon.

"You will say it, or the humans will be terminated," Grommet warned.

To illustrate his point the lights on one of the capsule dimmed, closing down the supply of fresh Oxygen and placing the occupant in peril. There was little choice although Rocky had to admit he was potentially placing more lives in danger.

"Okay, I'll do it, just don't hurt them."

A smirk spread across his face as the Zeonisers were brought over to him. It would take split second timing, but he was surprised that he had not thought of it before. Of all the weapons the Rangers had accumulated, the Gem Coin Blasters were stored in their personal pocket dimensions. When Grommet had threatened to close down the capsules, the miniature power supplies used to provide the various ammunition had popped into his head.

"No tricks, human."

"I'll need to be standing close to the Zeoniser when I say it," Rocky told them, "range is important."

He waited until the Cogs had approached, released his restraints and pulled him to his feet before summoning the Gem Coin Blaster loaded with standard ammunition and a Number Six cartridge. He threw the cartridge across the floor and fired, piercing the capsule and producing a blinding flash.

In the confusion that followed as optical sensors attempted to adjust to the burst of light, Rocky closed the gap toward his Zeonisers, strapped them on and morphed.

"Get him!"

Grommet ordered, but it was now a morphed Power Ranger that they were fighting as opposed to an unmorphed human. In his morphed form, Rocky easily dealt with the Cogs before turning his attention to Ferris.

"This time I won't let you live," she warned, wielding her whips.

"What is with those things anyway?" Rocky queried, as he narrowly avoided one of the razor sharp ends.

"Data suggests that machine success is inversely related to the number of control protocols. Logic dictated that removal of all control systems would make machines invincible, but prevent them from taking direction. Ferris's whip provides a control field that directs their attacks."

While Grommet was explaining, Ferris had not stopped her attack, pushing Rocky further and further back through the factory. But she was not just aiming for the Blue Zeo Ranger, some of her lashes were aimed at machinery, such as the vat of boiling liquid she attempted to empty over him.

He had already lost his weapons; his Zeo Pistol had been knocked out of his hand and his Gem Coin Blaster had been crushed by her whips.

"You cannot win, human," Grommet told him. "The odds that you manage to defeat Ferris are astronomical. She draws power from this complex."

Rocky dived under a wooden table, seconds before it was lifted and tossed aside by the barbed whip. Still, Rocky was not diving from side to side without good reason. He was guiding the machine through the factory, searching for something he could use against her.

"You're wasting my time, Rocky," Ferris called as her whip cracked the visor of his helmet. The other whip hooked his ankle and pulled it out from under him. "Give it up."

Instead of climbing back to his feet, Rocky chose to crawl under the machinery, using the time it took her to find him again to find the cable he needed.

"If you want me, come and get me!" he shouted defiantly, every bit the hero as he urged her to attack him.

When she did attack, he was ready, ducking the end so that it wrapped around the metal pipe work. He cheered as it did so, earning himself a questioning look from Ferris. When he revealed the electrical cable he had liberated from the conduit her eyes widened. Without hesitation he touched it to the whip, watching as she was electrocuted.

"That should prove a hair-raising experience," he quipped before taking off at a run back toward the Belles.

He had to hurry to get to the capsules, hoping that he reached them before Grommet managed to free Ferris or decided to destroy them. He hoped that the short circuit would distract the prince from what was going on. He had deliberately chosen the power cable that supplied the CCTV network.

"Where are you human? There is no escape, your friends cannot find you here. Surrender or I will dispose of the other humans."

Rocky ignored the prince. He knew that Grommet had probably already shut down the life support. It was more important to get the Belle's out of the chambers and away to safety. When he entered the room, he found that the chambers had indeed been shut down and from the look of the dials, the family had been without Oxygen for some time. He didn't hesitate to shatter the glass on Josie's capsule before moving on to do the same for Jessica and her parents.

"That wasn't nice Ranger!"

He turned at the sound of Ferris's voice. He was not surprised to see that she had gotten free. If also appeared that the electricity had had an adverse effect on her synthetic flesh. The high voltage had caused the cells to breakdown, causing the flesh to swell and take on a rubbery texture. Her face and chest were now metallic, her hair for some reason appeared to have turned into a bunch of long red balloons. She now carried a single whip, but the weapon appeared minuscule compared to her bulk.

She lashed out and he dodged again. The tails flew passed his shoulder and struck the open capsules, causing it to overload. Rocky had already freed Jessica and her parents, but Josie was still inside when the current struck her.

"If you don't want the other hurt, stay still!" Ferris warned.

The ground shook and Rocky smiled as the machine looked around for the source of the shaking. There was a crash in another part of the complex and she turned in time to see the Zeo Zord III storming through the factory.

"Not again!" she complained, but it was too late as Rocky teleported himself and the Belle's to safety as his Zord tore through the factory.

"Ferris, what is happening?" Grommet demanded; the loss of the CCTV cameras had left him blind with the exception of a single camera.

"The Ranger has gotten free," she replied as the Zord tore through the far wall, bringing the ceiling down as she teleported away.

* * *

Rocky had appeared in a panic and had quickly explained all that had happened. Working as a team, the Rangers had administered emergency assistance to the Belle's and transferred them to the Power Chamber's medical area. They would need to get them to the hospital where they could be properly taken care of, but before they could do so the alarms sounded.

"Ferris!" Rocky growled when the Viewing Screen revealed the machine rampaging through Angel Grove in an enlarged state.

"It's Morphin Time!" Tommy cried.

* * *

The battle had been short and the Rangers had emerged victorious. Ferris despite being a survivor, had easily succumbed to the Super Zeo Ultrazord formation and the Rangers had returned to the Power Chamber. They had been unable to use the Zeo Ultrazord, because the machine was still rampaging through the remains of Grommet's headquarters. It had returned shortly after the Rangers, slightly singed but otherwise intact.

At that point the Rangers had turned their attention to their guests.

* * *

Against impossible odds, Grommet had survived yet again. His program refused to be erased no matter how many unfortunate events he was forced to live through. As he waited in the darkness for his father to recover him, hoping that his last transmission to Mondo had gotten through, Grommet assessed his options. His body had been destroyed, his brother's factory had been damaged by the Blue Zeo Ranger; a little work and it would be possible to repair the production line. The production of synthetic agents was at an end since Grommet had erased the control program when he had downloaded his mind. Besides, with the containment tubes and mind probe destroyed, there was no way to collect the mind prints for future units.

Ferris had been fortunate to survive as long as she had, although the recent damage she had sustained had deleted her secondary memory point, the device that had allowed her to store and emulate the personality of Josie Belle. Without it she was just another machine, a broken and directionless machine.

"We will have our revenge Prince Grommet," she promised, her voice crackling due to broken insulation on her speech synthesiser.

Grommet's processors predicted that Ferris was almost useless to him in her current condition and estimated only a small possibility that her repair protocols could improve the situation. If she could not repair herself, he knew it would be a major setback to his cause. Ferris had proven to be an effective servant and by design she was an integral part of controlling the Neo-Machine Monsters. The additional loss of her combat skills and effectiveness against the Rangers made it an expensive loss.

If the human, Rocky, had not taken the Belle's with him, Grommet might have been able to build a replacement. Unfortunately even if he could still reach them, Josie, had been damaged during the escape and was no longer a suitable candidate for the creation process.

~Perhaps an alternative body design could be used'~ he mused, his Computer Aided Design software rapidly designing a new form for his servant now that secrecy was no longer an immediate concern.

It was not a total loss. There were still agents of the Royal House of Gadgetry in position around the globe. And while those agents could not influence major decisions, they were the eyes and ears of the Neo-Machine Empire that would lead to the eventual annexing of Earth. And while the Blue Zeo Ranger had damaged the complex, he had not destroyed it. It would be a time-consuming effort to return his kingdom to full capacity, but when it was restored, the humans would submit to the will of the machines.

* * *

The past.

It wasn't a legal action, strictly speaking, but it definitely felt like the right thing to do. The Belles had lost everything due to a plot by the Machine Empire and it seemed only fair that the Rangers helped them back into a new life. With Zordon's help the Rangers had taken advantage of Grommet's scheme and been able to use one device to transport the Belles, Rocky and the other Zeo Rangers to the site of Grommet's first battle on Earth.

After manipulating the official records they had allowed the emergency services to pull the unfortunate family to safety. The family retained only vague memories of the incident, which served to explain how they had been found on the remains of an experimental energy centre.

In the past they would have the chance to live the lives they had lost and Josie would receive the medical treatment she needed. It wasn't the perfect solution, but in this case it was the best they could manage.

* * *

Angel Grove Hospital,

Josie Belle did not know how she had received her injuries, but she knew deep down that the Power Rangers were involved. The experts had told her she would never walk again, never be able to move more than her head and right hand to be precise. They had finally taken her off the life support, declaring that while she was physically paralysed, her organs were fully functional for now.

She would make them pay, the ones that had hurt her. She would find a way to destroy the Machine Empire and then she would turn her attention to the Power Rangers. She looked at her left hand, resting on the wooden bed table and willed it to move. It didn't even twitch, but that didn't mean anything to her. Josie Belle was a survivor, and one way or another, she would find a way to get her revenge.

* * *

"How are they?" Katherine asked.

In the days following the rescue of the Belles and their eventual return to ordinary life, Rocky had kept a watchful guard over them at the hospital where their oldest daughter was still undergoing treatment. The other Rangers and their friends, those that knew their real identities, had been growing more and more worried about him. It seemed that despite his assurances to the contrary, at least some of Rocky's feelings for Jennifer Belle had remained after her death.

The problem was that Jessica Belle and her family had never met the Rangers and had never been a part of their adventures. Rocky's relationship had been with Jen, not the woman that looked like her. Physical similarities aside they were not the same girl. It appeared that even if the Belles had known him, which they didn't since they had never met the Rangers before Gasket had kidnapped them and had spent over two years in cold storage, there was very little chance that he could rebuild the relationship he had once had.

"They'll be fine," Rocky told her. "They don't remember anything that happened to them, except perhaps the Rangers pulling them from their prison. I think Josie might remember more than she lets on, but she has more important things to worry about than us."

Even though this was not the Josie that had turned her back on the Rangers, it was very different to think of her as an innocent. If he were honest then Rocky would admit that he had felt a small amount of satisfaction when the doctors had revealed that Josie Belle would remain paralysed from the neck down for the rest of her life. It wasn't right, it wasn't fair, but that was life and Rocky couldn't help the way he felt.

"You miss her, don't you?" Kat asked.

Rocky considered the question. Did he miss her, really? He had already grieved for Jen once and had started to move on with his life. Jessica was not his Jen, but she had rekindled some of the feelings he had once felt.

"Yes," he admitted in the end. "But I'll get over it."

He had survived her loss once and as much as he yearned to approach her, he knew in his heart that he would forever be trying to turn her into Jennifer instead of Jessica. No it was better for her, for them - better for him, if he just walked away and let the Belles attempt to rebuild their lives.

"Come on, let's go and find the others," she urged.

Rocky needed his friends, he needed their support, and most importantly in Kat's mind, he needed something to distract him from thinking about Jessica. If he chose to approach them to talk, they would welcome him wholeheartedly, but she could see the pain that just watching caused him.

Reluctantly he nodded. The Belle's had been through enough, perhaps it was time to let them live without the added problem of being friends with a Power Ranger.

~What is it they say, it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?~ he wondered. He snorted. ~Yeah, a likely story!~

He reached out and took Kat's hand, allowing her to lead him away. They had been in the past for much too long. It was time to go home.

**End **


	16. Legend of a Phantom

Disclaimer: The Power Rangers are the property of Saban Entertainment and I lay no claim to them.

Legend of a Phantom

It was finally over. Its host had reached an age where it could no longer sustain itself and had been drawing its power inward for a long time. Time was perhaps the one force that in the end could destroy all beings regardless of their size, shape or power. The same was true for matter in that eventually atoms decayed and existence failed. The war between Good and Evil was another example. Time had passed and the war had ceased. Soon the peace would break down and a new war would be fought until it was time to stop once more. Which side won the last conflict was unclear since both sides had been devastated to the point where neither side could fight on. If however the result was based on the last to perish: Evil had for the moment been conquered.

And in the void of hyperspace, trapped by a failed drive system, the lone survivor of the conflict remained. He was unbelievably old and sustained only by the power that had once made him such a great warrior. His body had weathered the passage of time, his unique nature granting him some protection. It had not been enough though and like all things his body had succumbed to old age.

He was the Phantom Ranger, a physical manifestation of the merger between a living being and the power contained within the magnificent Power Ruby, which allowed those that possessed it to access incredible power. The ruby poured its power it the being that carried it and they in turn passed a little of themselves into the ruby. Thus it retained the memories and an echo of the spirits of those that wielded its energies. They gave it consciousness and understanding while it gave them power. It was the Phantom Ruby that had sustained his failing body, not because it cared, but because without a host it would no longer have a purpose and would revert to its inert state. The Phantom Ruby was practical.

The host had long forgotten his real name. As time had passed in hyperspace the merger between living creature and ruby had been blurred. In some ways the Phantom Ruby was more aware than he was. But he understood that the end had come. A rift had formed in hyperspace, which heralded the arrival of a new vessel. It didn't matter who it was or which side they fought for, the opening of the doorway back to the normal universe was all that was required to allow his escape from life..

"The time has come," he announced. He took a final look around, before reaching to the Power Ruby embedded within his chest. With a quick twist the ruby was removed. He spared it a glance, wishing that he knew what would happen to it when he was gone. Then he threw it as hard as he could into the incoming vessel's path.

* * *

Tesseron

The ship was wrecked, the majority of his family had been slaughtered or taken for sale as slaves, and his cargo had been stolen. He knew where the blame lay: the symbol of the Dianthe Pirates had been clearly displayed by the boarding party. And so he had been left alone and helpless. Well, not quite helpless. How the pirates had managed to miss the ruby in his pocket was beyond him, but it had been that ruby that had inspired him to fight back and survive when it had been his turn to die. It had been the ruby that had given him the strength to overcome his executioners and destroy their vessel.

And as he stared into the fire, mourning all that he had lost, a new desire rose within him; he wanted revenge on those that had caused him pain. He wanted revenge for everything they had done to him and others in his situation. He vowed to those that he had lost to fight the pirates wherever they went until their evil was vanquished forever. And as he spoke, the ruby glowed brightly accepting his words and its new purpose.

A flash of purple light erupted from the ruby, filling him with new strength. Instinctively he closed his eyes and allowed the energy to flow. His battered purple survival suit was repaired and modified. It was streamlined for easier movement with extra bulk to protect vulnerable places. The new material - for he was reluctant to call it metal - refracted the light that hit it, hiding itself from view, but when he moved he noticed that there was some reflection.

~It's like I'm a ghost,~ he thought as he studied his seemingly translucent form. ~No, a phantom.~

The strange effect vanished and he was able to see his reflection clearly in the mangled remains of his ship.

"I'm a Ranger," he whispered in awe. "A phantom Ranger."

He placed the ruby into the slot where his suit's battery had been. It glowed for a moment before returning to normal and he nodded in satisfaction as the power seemed to become a part of him.

"I'm the Phantom Ranger!"

A few light years away the captain of a Dianthe vessel that had come to investigate the deaths of the boarding party suddenly felt very afraid.

**End **


	17. Claims to Earth

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to the respective copyright owners. No profit is being made for this work.

Claims to Earth

"In conclusion I move that since Minion has indeed failed and that his sponsor has either been destroyed or is too scared of this council to dare show his face, all claims made by the Master be stricken from the record."

As Garvin, a low ranking official within the Alliance of Evil finished his speech, the assembled members nodded in agreement. It had been a lengthy enquiry into the events surrounding Minion, Maxell had been keen to ensure that there would be no further objections to his rightful control over the Alliance of Evil.

As he looked down at the assembled villains, he could tell that the vote was a certainty. It was only through deference to proper procedure that he bothered with a show of hands as the votes were counted and weighted according to the political standing of each member. He glanced at the result and noted that with a single spoiled vote, the decision had been unanimous. Earth was open for the taking again; this would be when the real arguments started.

"The vote is carried, we will now move onto the next item of business," he stated, wishing that things could be that simple. As Master Vile rose from his seat though it was clear that nothing within the Alliance could be that straightforward.

Maxell had chosen a high table for this debate, allowing him and the senior councillors to look down on the more powerful members that made up the core of the forum. To the far left sat Master Vile, his son Rito Revolto and daughter Rita Repulsa. Rita also held the voting rights normally reserved for her not-quite-dead husband Lord Zedd; the demon was still searching for ways to regain a physical presence and was largely ignored by the proceedings. Mother D, the appointed head of the Dianthe Kingdom while he daughter Divatox was absent, was sitting close by with her son General Havok; the Dianthe Kingdom had yet to express an interest in Earth although Divatox had made a formal petition to approach the planet.

At the far-right hand side of the chamber stood - for they found it extremely difficult to sit - the Machine Empire. Mondo and Gasket each claimed to represent the Royal House of Gadgetry, Archerina was acting on behalf of her father and had agreed to vote in support of her husband. The voting powers of the Machine block and the Magic Users were almost equal. It would be the unaligned members such as Count Dregon and Scorpius who held the ultimate power.

"Before we move on, I wish to declare that the House of Vile formally declares Earth as part of its empire. Our forces led by Rita were there first and remains ready to strike under the command of her and Lord Zedd."

Possession was nine tenths of the law, and Maxell had to concede that at the last count the majority of the forces invading the Earth belonged to Zedd, Master Vile and Rita. They had a very strong case.

"I object," Gasket called. "The Machine Empire under my guidance made more progress where Earth is concerned than Rita, Zedd or Master Vile combined. Clearly the Earth should be marked as Machine territory."

"Progress?" Rita sneered, "you ran away as soon as your daddy came back and we blew them up."

"Nevertheless, the Royal House of Gadgetry did drive Rita and Zedd from Earth and made a legitimate claim. Rita and Zedd should never have returned to the planet," Gasket told them.

"The fact remains Mondo, that my daughter and her - husband, did manage to return and still have a few forces close to Earth, something that your Machine Empire lacks."

"But we do have a presence on Earth," Machina interrupted, "tell them darling."

"I have here a copy of a communication from my son Grommet. He is currently active on Earth along with numerous Infiltration Units. The Royal House of Gadgetry has already conquered the planet. We just haven't told the natives yet. Our claim to Earth is far more logical."

"And what would YOU suggest?" Master Vile asked. "That your own forces be allowed exclusive rights to Earth. My daughter has been attacking Earth since the Ranger problem arose. I suggest she be placed back in her original role and any conquest be attributed to the House of Vile."

"You are a fool Vile!" Mondo shouted. "The Machine Empire came closer than anyone to conquering the Earth. We should be allowed to conquer the planet."

"Order, Order" Maxell bellowed. "We have had this argument every time this council has met since the Machine Empire approached Earth. I will not allow this organisation to suffer because we cannot agree on such an unimportant matter."

"With respect Maxell, Count Dregon has been in orbit around Earth during both Rita and Mondo's attempts and is the only villain not to retreat for repair or run away due to an outside threat."

Maxell glared at the insignificant fool that dared speak out. He wanted order, not more reason for fighting.

"Enough!" he bellowed. "This chamber remains in a state of neutrality as required by our charter. I suggest you all remember what happened to the last person who broke one of our treaties."

He waited for the idiots around him to absorb his words before he continued. His decision on the matter would prove controversial and he expected both factions to break his ruling. Still, he needed to do something; if Mondo decided to fight, all the magic users in the room would not stop him.

"Earth will remain off limits until further notice. Since Mondo and Vile claim they have forces there to conquer the planet, those operations will continue. However, no member of this council is to approach Earth without permission. Do we have an agreement?"

"Aye!" those villains already attacking the planet cried.

"Against?"

As expected the opportunity to upset Mondo and Vile's claims to Earth unified the council to vote against the proposal. Mutual self-interest prompted their cooperation as they fought for their rights to conquer the valuable planet.

"The Nays have it," Maxell decided. "Earth is to be considered an open target until further notice."

It was amazing how quickly the hall could empty as the various factions rushed off to summon their fleets and launch their attacks on the little planet that promised so much power to whoever controlled it. Master Vile and the Machine Empire stalked out, outraged that they would be forced to share their prize.

Maxell looked around. He hadn't even called an end to the meeting, but since it was lacking a quorum, he had little choice but to suspend all business until a later date. Surprisingly he found he wasn't annoyed by the change of plans. In fact, he welcomed the chance to be away from the imbeciles that accounted for the rest of the council.

**End **


	18. Breakout

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to their respective copyright owners. No profit is being made from this piece of fan work.

Breakout

Washington DC

More than two years ago

"As you can see gentlemen, recent months have proven interesting. The threat posed by Namor has been dealt with; steps are being taken to ensure he never resurfaces," Nick Fury, Head of SHIELD, Presidential Advisor and one of America's greatest war heroes said. His real name had been lost somewhere in the archives when he had assumed his current post and would only be found when he died and a new face took on the role of Nick Fury. "However there are still questions that need to be answered and unfortunately I am the person required to ask the questions and then find the solutions."

This was not just another high level meeting. The officers, civil servants and scientists gathered in the room were part of the most elite think tank in the world. Their decisions dictated how the United States would react to a given situation and they answered only to the President in most matters; there were times when the ultimate authority rested with a politician below the rank of President, usually when the position of Head of State had been compromised. They were paid large sums of money and given a great deal of resources to identify the problems people preferred to ignore and then solve them.

"What would we do gentlemen if a more powerful hero turned on us, or was placed under a spell? Even worse, consider the entire JLA being compromised or the Power Rangers switching sides and trying to conquer the planet instead of protecting it. This country needs countermeasures, a way to ensure that should an individual or group of super humans turn rogue, we will have a means of stopping them."

"I maintain that we should order the JLA and these Power Rangers to place themselves under military command," General Galt said.

General Galt was a firm believer that there were military matters and civilian matters, and that just as the military was prevented by law from intervening in a civil matter, their control over military matters should be absolute. That meant that any force that dealt with defending the planet on a daily basis should be placed neatly within the chain of command and given expert oversight.

"We took that approach," General Latima replied. "The Power Rangers ignored the order - they actually turned and walked away from armed soldiers and ignored them - and the JLA said if necessary they would change their name to just the Justice League and repeal any political affiliation."

"Yes, we sent a team of lawyers to negotiate voluntary contracts," General Ross agreed. "The problem is that the Justice League refuses to ally themselves with any government organisation or to provide the true identities of their roster, making monitoring a problem. These are people with resources so our offers of money are pretty much useless and given their abilities there isn't a prison that could hold them; if we put some of them in prison we'd have never ending riots and chaos in the system."

"That is why we are here General," Fury interrupted. "By suppressed order of the President this committee is authorised in cooperation with similar bodies around the world to found, organise and support a new team of 'super heroes' to operate strictly within national boundaries. The JLA can serve the world; these groups will serve their country first. Their everyday activities will be to fight crime and protect the planet; their exploits will receive media coverage and high-ranking recognition. We're going to make them role models for our youth and shining examples of how being hero does not mean you cannot be patriotic. However, their priority missions will be to deal with rogue super humans."

"And what if one of these teams of politically acceptable heroes turns? The fallout could be a disaster."

"That is why we allowed the JLA to remain. We obviously cannot be naive enough to trust these people to monitor themselves, but if one group were to act as the counter balance to the other we have failsafe that allows the JLA to operate outside of direct control. In addition the President will be asking the Justice League maintains a maximum of twelve members on active service at any one time. He has allowed the Power Rangers to affiliate themselves with the Justice League should they wish, but they will no longer be considered active members. Let the others serve as individuals on a local level."

He could see that most were in agreement although it would take some stronger arguments to make his case. These men were representative of the military and civil service as a whole and showed that there would be some work needed to sell the idea. But then it had taken a lot of work to convince the military of the asset Captain America could be and they'd managed it in the end.

"Doctor Furman would you take us through your proposals?"

"Certainly, Colonel Fury. We have developed a two-phase approach to this solution. Phase One will be the creation of a new team based in New York."

"This will be an 'over the table' deal," Fury warned, "so make sure those chosen are suitable."

"Yes sir, our computer division is running background, medical and psychological evaluations on all perspective members and they have been instructed to classify them as On Record, Off Record and Unsuitable. We also have a section for those we would never consider using under any circumstances."

"What's about Phase Two?" Galt wanted to know.

"Phase Two will involve the expansion of a project that was previously under your command General. We intend to bring it out of mothballs and give it a new remit."

"Just a minute Doctor Furman. Gentlemen, what you are about to be told has been classified: Most Secret. I don't think I need to tell you what that means, but as a reminder: you will not record this information in any way shape or form and you will not repeat this information to anybody; doing so will result in the silencing of those that have been told or could have been told. I'm sure you appreciate your loved ones enough to understand how serious this is. Any questions? No? Very well Doctor, you may continue."

"Thank you, Sir." He clicked a button to activate a projector show a series of images. "As some of you may know, there are currently thirty or more alien races that have either visited or are currently active on Earth. Most of those that remain are non-hostile individuals and can even be found inside the ranks of the super hero teams we've been discussing. As such, their capture has proven difficult to justify as being within the National Interest."

"Not to mention those boys in Geneva have constantly refused to sanction such moves. Since they are the authority on this matter, we have to leave them be," General Alberta commented.

"Indeed. However, given that the more troublesome beings have traditionally been armies sent for the purpose of invasion it would not be worth the resources we would have to use to hunt them all down. They have always been dealt with appropriately. There are a few who have not revealed themselves and we're inclined to not create more problems by tracking them down."

The images changed from showing aliens and known super heroes to a black and white photograph of an odd looking device.

"What you may not know is that throughout history this planet has been a dumping ground for alien technology. Our volcanoes were once used as execution chambers by alien warlords and there have been countless examples of dangerous criminals imprisoned here to stop them escaping; most of those occurred in a period when the planet was unpopulated. Some attempted to colonise parts of the world and perished, long before humans first walked the Earth, but they left their technology behind. There is a whole treasure trove of new concepts and theories to be unlocked, as soon as our understanding allows us to do so."

"Whenever a brilliant mind like Einstein emerges they are offered the opportunity to examine the texts in our collection," Fury stated.

"So Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity came from an alien text?"

"No, Einstein came up with that theory before he was approached, but it did show that he was the sort of mind we were looking for and his theories gave us the key to understanding some related ideas. Certain discoveries by the Richard's Foundation did come from those texts and serve as an example of why caution must be exercised. Unfortunately while we have had the technology we've never been able to speak with those that created it."

Again the slide changed this time to what looked like a war zone.

"At the end of the Forties, a space craft crash landed on Earth. The ship had been in a serious battle and later interviews with the survivors suggested that it

was a refugee ship fleeing a war zone. The ship had been severely damaged and despite managing to evade any pursuers, it was in danger of breaking up. The pilot made a decision to try and land on the nearest inhabitable world rather than risk emergency repairs. That ship made an almost safe landing in Ohio and the remains were handed over years later to research and development teams led by Muffett and Knight."

"Were there survivors?"

"I just told you the survivors were interviewed, so yes, against the odds the majority of those on board

lived. They were given sanctuary but the question quickly arose about how they should be dealt with. International Relations were strained at the time and one nation having access to so many aliens was unthinkable. For the sake of all concerned they were divided up and sent to nations around the world to be integrated into their societies. Since this was before the UN Treaty on Extraterrestrial Affairs,

nations were allowed to conduct experiments upon them in the interest of future security."

There were a few murmurs of disagreement about treating refugees as animals, but most understood the importance of knowing everything they could about a potential enemy.

"It was a different time back then and we needed to be sure that if they turned out to be some sort of stealth invasion force we had a way to fight back. During initial testing of the flight crew - who were for the record dead on arrival -, it was discovered that while they appeared human they had many physical differences from humans raised on Earth;

their muscle and lung structure was different, no doubt due to gravitational anomalies between this world and wherever they came from."

"What happened to them?"

"A few were lost during experimentation since protocol at the time required that we ensured that we had a way to kill them if necessary; the scientists found that bullets worked just fine  
by the way. After that they were assessed to confirm they didn't pose a threat and then were offered a part in the Witness Protection Program. Most actually chose to live  
in their own communities and were offered posts in the military research divisions. Those children that were not related to the adults were placed into the adoption system - tagged of course so that they could be traced if necessary; we introduced national monitoring schemes in schools around the country just to keep an eye on their progress."

A great deal of social development over the last few decades had been down to the integration of the refugees into society.

"Our researchers discovered that when exposed to sudden changes in temperature their bodies reacted in a similar way to humans on this planet, but when exposed to extreme cold, their bodies could be revived years later so long as the proper precautions were taken during thawing. This allowed us to store those we could not release in a form of cryogenic suspension - similar to the one used by the Soviets for their projects."

"Thank you, Doctor Furman," Fury said, turning to address the rest of the assembled officers. "Some of these visitors have remained as 'guests' of this government since their arrival - deemed too dangerous or violent to be released-, others were released and later retrieved. When Nixon came to power he was obsessed with developing weapons from alien technology. He pushed the budget for our scientists to discover as much as possible and for our military to find ways to use those discoveries."

The image changed to show soldiers fighting.

"And that leads us what our boys in the research divisions have accomplished, gentlemen. New technology, new protection, new weapons and new ways of getting our forces to the front line. Our military have used that technology to train and a new breed of soldier, many of whom have served this country in our armed forces."

"Just how many people are we talking about?" one of the generals asked.

"To begin with there were sixteen hundred people on board that ship," Doctor Furman answered, "two thirds of their number were below the age of majority and ten of the older passengers were pregnant. This country retained four hundred once the last of the adults were shared out among those signed up to the UN treaty. Of the children released into society, one hundred were later recruited for use in the Task Force operation."

"If I may Doctor Furman," Doctor Oakum said. "We discovered from those selected for research that while frozen the visitors experienced full cellular stasis without any signs of degeneration, and

more importantly: did not age. In addition their minds are highly susceptible to

certain indoctrination processes, especially the Trask Method; using such techniques would be illegal but

it was suggested that if they could be shown that there was a reason to serve their country they would do so. They last two volunteers, a pair of fraternal twins aged twenty were turned over to General Galt's project six months ago."

Furman picked up the explanation. "Of course this meant that we had a large pool of specialist recruits available for whatever projects we decided to assign them. We combined their manpower with artefacts recovered from the Oregon Dig and Super Suit technology from another source."

"My predecessor oversaw the implementation of the Task Force operation," Fury explained, one of the few times he acknowledged that he was not the first person to use the name in his current role. "The volunteers were divided into smaller units and granted a full training, support and leadership structure. Around eight operatives per team with a maximum of six operational members at a time. Each project was envisioned to have a three year life cycle; one year of intensive training, one year of active service against a non-governmental threat, and a one year wind down period during which scientists checked for side-effects and prepared to move on to the next project."

"And their suits?"

Doctor Oakum chose to explain. "One of the first discoveries we made during the development of this project was a new material. It looked like metal, it was similar in conductivity and melting point to copper. However depending on the techniques used to shape it this material could be altered to resemble metal, plastic, fabric or even glass. The process is extremely complex and there is hardly any room for error. However we have been able to use this material to construct suits that are capable of bolstering the talents of our operatives."

"What's the real reason for the three year limit?" General Ross wanted to know.

"Officially when the Task Force operation started, operatives were to be permanently retired after the third year in case they got ideas and went rogue. For the record there has never been an instance of operatives turning rogue and that order was rescinded five years later. The real reason was that the suits only lasted twelve months before they started breaking down and the strain of using the suits meant that after a year of service they were unable to continue active service.  
They were then returned to civilian life."

Not entirely true. While some did return to civilian life, many were eliminated in the National Interest.

"In addition," Fury added, "they were provided with prototype state-of-the-art machines to help them."

"Yes, our experts were able to adapt items recovered from dig sites in Canada, Africa and Egypt, in addition to the Oregon volcano."

"Interesting; why haven't we heard anything about these experiments?"

"Most of the test projects were undercover operations against possible threats and private armies. They were given cover stories and remained out of the public eye where possible; they have never been used as either black ops or front line troops in war. Project Vulcan was different because it was initiated in response to a partial alien invasion. Few know about its existence, but there were enough."

"Okay Gentlemen. That is most of the story and all you need to know at the moment," Fury said, "suffice to say that the President and his advisors consider these one man powered suits given to selected operatives the way forward. More importantly than their symbolic purposes, they will serve as a counter measure should the Power Rangers be deemed a threat to this nation."

"You expect them to turn then?"

Fury looked at the other man, pondering a response.

"It's my duty to consider such possibilities. I have to consider every angle; could the Rangers be turned by a spell, would they side with another nation in the event of conflict? I have to have all the options covered, counter measures for every threat and then redundancy measures in case those counters should turn or fail. I should tell you that we have an operative within the JLA and every other major group of super heroes, placed to take them down just in case they turn. The Avengers will have a direct government liaison and if necessary their structure will be changed according to need.

"Namor was an example of just how dangerous these 'super humans' can become. As a consequence, funding to Arcadia Academy and other sites in the Task Force operation will in future be directed to Project Corps. Our priority is to reverse engineer the technology and then finding a way to create it ourselves. Dismissed."

* * *

Operation Taskforce, Vegas Facility, Research Laboratory 29, Section 18,

Eight weeks earlier

Project Techno Warrior was entering the final phase of its development. Financially the Techno Warrior project was a real money spinner. The government was eager to obtain a ready programmed, fully-trained operative equipped with reactive armour and advanced weaponry; a standalone soldier who could pose as a normal human in a civilian setting and yet packed an arsenal that rivalled that of a small country.

It was clearly the future of modern warfare, and as soon as the prototype unit passed its final tests successfully, the developers stood to gain millions for the ready-made product, spare parts and ammunition. That was nothing compared to how much they would make from selling the process to interested foreign governments.

The prototype unit had been tested at every stage of its development and the improvements to the next model would be far reaching, leading to even greater rewards in terms of upgrade packages and software patches. All things considered though the greatest problems lay not with the concept or the technology; for the most part the faults were caused by the test subject.

The young man who had been volunteered for the project should have been given the same psychological and physical testing that astronauts endured before being allowed near a space shuttle. Their test subject should have been the best of the best of the best. Instead he was a kid picked from somewhere and forced into a situation he didn't understand by people he didn't like.

The volunteer had endured painful alterations to his body as it was augmented. Body enhancing drugs had been administered to build strength through enforced exercise as scientists attempted to turn his less-than-perfect physique into something suited for combat. Combined with cardiovascular conditioning to improve his endurance it was a training program many athletes would have killed for.

Only when their test subject was deemed to be at his physical peak did they begin the next stage. Aside from the odd doctor to monitor his vitals signs, the medical staff were replaced by technicians. An experiment mutating virus allowed them to infuse his body with metal alloy; the Techno Warrior would not have the active defence mechanisms and rapid healing that Rangers possessed. Instead the scientists aimed to make it more difficult to damage him in the first place. It was after all in their interests to protect their investment from harm.

As his body was exposed to procedures that might have been considered torture had he been a prisoner - for his status had been clearly marked as volunteer no matter what he claimed - he received an education that only the richest parents could afford for their children. He was trained in the application and understanding of the major sciences, mathematics, geography and history. Since his initial function had been that of a demon hunter, one programmer had installed as many texts on the subjects of magic, religion and demonology as he could find.

Despite their hard work and attention to detail though, the scientists had overlooked something important. They had assumed that throughout the various procedures their test subject would lose his sense of self, becoming highly suggestible and losing his ability to act on his own initiative, unaware of the questionable things they were doing and the abuses they were forcing him to endure to make him stronger. They were wrong, while not fully conscious he was aware of everything they had done to him. He had felt every needle they had used and although they had never heard his screams, he had lived in a world of pain - for many of the alterations the virus had initiated had failed to numb the nerve endings meaning that he had felt the tearing of his body as they had reshaped it.

* * *

Operation Taskforce, Vegas Facility, Research Laboratory 29, Section 18,

Six weeks earlier

The walls of his room were bare metal, the only furnishings a cot to which he had at one point been secured. They didn't restrain him except for a single chain around the ankle. They didn't know that he was aware of his surroundings. Indeed they believed he was still comatose from the effects of the sedatives.

Somewhere along the line he had grown immune to the drugs. The injections didn't put him under anymore. They did unfortunately prevent him from moving around or voicing his objection to their continued experiments. Months of enduring such abuse was bound to have had some effect on him. Indeed, an assessment of his faculties would have shown that his sanity was questionable. It was for that reason that while another person might have felt uncomfortable in such an environment, to the test subject this was just something he had to endure.

He remembered his old life, the one they had taken away and replaced with something - less real. They had done an admirable job of replacing his body, simulating his original senses so that he felt remotely human; to be able to feel pleasure and pain was quite an accomplishment given the damage they had caused to his nervous system.

In the last week they had fed him a cocktail of chemicals and drugs. The drugs were known to further enhance the strength, size and durability. In a large concentration, the super steroid led to short term enhancements, though the project's overseers had determined that smaller doses following months of exposure to Human Growth Hormone would have a more favourable effect and possibly remain in his system for longer, although in fairness they were just the raw material that would be processed to provide immunity and other benefits.

The drugs were known to be addictive and potentially toxic. Even after such a short exposure he would suffer terrible side effects when they stopped using it. It was clear that the medical staff did not care; he guessed that they were hired for their skills, not to question the morality of their actions. If he survived to the point where the result could be tested, the various doctors and professors had been promised financial benefits that would see them living in luxury for the rest of their lives. And should he die, he knew they would have his replacement ready to start again; it would not be the first time they had needed to start over.

"This is our most recent and I am pleased to say most successful tests so far," he heard one of the doctors say, speaking into a small dictation device that they all seemed to carry. "The decision to move away from the traditional methods of enhancement had seen this subject survive far beyond previous prospect. At the commencement the subject was injected with a self-replicating nano virus. Our ability to control the behaviour of that virus has allowed the modification of the subject's body without surgery. The addition of drugs, hornmones and other supplements have helped stabilise those changes.

The most recent application of the virus to create muscle grafts and pore adaptation have proven successful, the micro filaments grown into his already impressive muscle mass and combined with a continuous supply of steroids, have proven effective. There appears to be minor inflammation of some areas. I would suggest treatment for possible infection or perhaps allowing any illness to take its course to provide future immunity."

As part of his duties, it was expected that at some point he would come into contact with environments that would be considered too dangerous for a normal human. As such it was essential to improve his body's durability. The virus had been used to weave a thin mesh of metal into his muscles, tendons and ligaments. In addition material had been taken from his hearts, lungs, liver, kidneys... practically all of his internal organs. Those samples were stored by the virus for rapid replacement and been used to produce mechanical back ups, filters to prevent poisoning and a small low use Oxygen supply for situations where he needed to shut down his normal breathing; each organ was protected by an outer shell made from the same material used to strengthen his muscles. A third application of the virus had created metal rods within his skeleton to stop bones from breaking.

The doctor removed a small instrument and tapped portions of his arms and legs watching as the muscles under the skin twitched. He repeated the test while allowing a small current to flow through the instrument, watching the resistance on a metre fastened over the bed.

"Muscle density has increased to a point within the desired range and appears responsive to stimuli. Metallic simulation has been a success; muscles reactions are increased when exposed to electrical stimulation. Computer override of nervous system is running within parameters; subject is able to resist or react to high voltage according to program settings. I recommend testing of cardiovascular bypass and adaptability to water environments at earliest opportunity."

The doctor moved out of the way, allowing his colleague to inspect the modifications made to his senses, which had been upgraded in during the last batch of alterations. While computers and technology were capable of some amazing things, it was accepted that compared to nature they still had a lot to learn. As a result instead of replacing his ears, eyes and nose with technology, they had worked to build on what nature had provided, using electronic hearing aids and special contact lenses to extend his sight and hearing into ranges previously unavailable to him. The virus allowed them to reshape his body in any way they desired, adding metal or any other material where required. Inside his skull it had been used to create a network of micro-circuitry that allowed him to process the excess data.

However it was a different processor grown near the front of the skull that dictated how he should act and ensured that he would harm only those he was supposed to attack. This was perhaps the most controversial element of the design, since the technology had been taken from an alien crash site; it was possibly not quite as controversial as having one of their other facilities controlled by microchips taken from the remains of craft's pilot. Countless scenarios had been programmed along with as many counter-measures as the best tactical thinkers within the Taskforce structure could calculate. Three independent uplinks allowed him to receive new instructions and situational updates. Through his connection to the database he had the tactical knowledge needed for all conceivable confrontations.

"Optical and aural implants are working within parameters and have been correctly calibrated. Computer and network systems are running correctly, data storage is at optimum level. I would recommend field testing at the earliest opportunity." He looked up at his colleague as he said this, knowing that if the other man had his way they would be making ever more improvements and never see their pay checks. "It would also be beneficial at this point to install surge protection, but I will state again that this marks an excellent stopping point."

"Very well gentlemen," a commanding voice said, "shut it down for now until the others are ready, then the testing will begin."

"If I might suggest Director," the doctor offered, remembering that this was the head of their operation, "perhaps now would be the time to start the programming of the weapon functions."

There was silence and for a moment the man feared for his life.

"The testing of the primary and secondary weapons have already been completed, you may install the operating software. Make sure that the limiter chip is implanted before activating. Then start working on the additional hardware. Rapid deployment is the key, gentlemen."

"As you wish," the doctor agreed, flipping the switch that kept the Techno Warrior online to the off position. Before doing so he leaned in close so he was inside its visual range and whispered: "You're going to make me rich, just you wait and see."

The eyes of the Techno Warrior never closed although they clearly lost focus the moment the switch was flipped. Emergency protocols were engaged, backup power supplies allowing the unit enough runtime to reach out and flick the power back on. For all their science and tests, the scientists had never understood the technology they were using. And therefore they didn't realise that it wasn't working.

Unobserved while the team leaders gave their staff directions, he reached out to the nearby keyboard and started to make his own modifications to their programming, using the fibre optic cables and various computer connections the virus had built for him to interface with his unprotected cranial computer.

It had been a simple oversight on the part of the research team that allowed the human side of the Techno Warrior to assert itself. They had given Garth the knowledge to reprogram his implants and the means to access them. If they had closed the access port, his human side would have been safely contained behind the fail-safes, instead the software intended to prevent him from turning on his masters, was slowly being set aside.

As it was the computer's control was gone, slaved to his will instead of the other way around. Although he was far from human with all the modifications, he was no longer the product they wanted to be. Given time their experiment would walk out of the door.

* * *

Operation Taskforce Hive Facility, Cranford

It was in the early hours of a June morning when Garth heard the sound of his cell door being opened. First the sound of a swipe card being drawn through the reader. Next he heard the beeping of the buttons for the six-digit identity code, which was changed daily. Afterwards came the sound of the outer lock, the key scratching at the worn tumblers. And finally was the screech of the heavy mechanical bolt being withdrawn. He knew those sounds; he had heard them constantly during his time in the facility to the extent that he could now tell who was entering by the time it took for the door to open.

Agent Thomas was very deliberate when opening the door. He was very strict about security and every procedure had to be followed to the letter; the agent took exactly two minutes to open the door. Doctor Finch on the other hand enjoyed his work and was determined not to miss a moment of his experiment's pain. As a result Doctor Finch would constantly open the locks whilst entering his security code so he could enter the cell in less than half a minute.

The various nurses and observers that now monitored him twenty-four hours of the day entered from a second entrance he was unable to see. Somehow it was shielded from him, but he believed that they were in the room at all times, concealed by some sort of machinery. Not that he could understand why they felt the need to hide when they supposedly deactivated him every time they exited the room.

Today he could tell it was Doctor Finch who was about to enter along with the Project Administrator. Of all those he had met, the Administrator was the worst. She didn't care what short cuts were taken providing she achieved her results.

"What is the status of this one?" she demanded.

"Testing has proven that the enhancements have been completely successful. In addition the hardware that the Director had us design was a complete success. The clothing he is wearing is adaptive, can change shape and colour according to the situation and in no way conflicts with operations."

"You referred to it as him," the Administrator pointed out. "Remember it is just a subject and you cannot allow any feelings when dealing with it."

"Yes Ma'am," Finch replied.

"I shall call Director Charming and have him arrange a visit. You should start bringing the system online and conduct a timed run in case it is needed for more than a few hours."

As Doctor Finch set about his morning checks of the test subject, he heard the now familiar sound of the Administrator's secret exit.

He slapped the unit across the face. He hated this... abomination. Why should a mere machine get all the attention when his hard work was ignored?

Once Doctor Finch left Garth knew he would not see him again that day despite the woman's instructions. Since the operation had moved to its new location, most of the work on his systems was conducted outside of the room using the base's computer mainframe. He estimated he would not be seeing anybody for two days, the length of time needed for the Director to make his way to their location. He calculated that this would be a good opportunity to make an escape.

The longer he remained there the more chance there was that Finch would accidentally discover that their computer programs were not operating properly; the cerebral implant was under his control and all their attempts to alter its code were actually sent to a buffer area to give the appearance that he was still their project. Of course their constant requests for status updates meant that he remained connected to the computer, something that allowed him to send his own requests for information.

_Search subject found _the readout said. He could see the words in his mind even though they did not exist. _Download? _

"Yes," he answered although the words were spoken through his uplink and probably emerged as a burst of electromagnetic noise.

_Subject DH17 _

_Name: Garth Nelson _

_Date of Entry: 1974 _

_Status of Entry: List? _

He considered what he had learnt. He had a name and tiniest piece of information about his past. The rest of the knowledge despite his best efforts had been stolen from him.

"Yes," he thought in answer to the question.

_Biological Organs: Replacement Complete _

_Sensory Enhancements: Complete _

_Computerised Components: Online _

_Operating System: Offline... ERASED _

_Motor functions: Off MMP: Scheduled _

He already knew that should he escape his current cell he still had to escape the facility. As the time for the Director's visit drew nearer, the facility would have tighter security, but maybe not as many staff. It was time to get to work. There was still one thing he needed to do before he could move. He needed to flush the sedatives from his system, which in turn meant using the drugs they had prepared for that purpose. With the sedatives in his system he was weak, but once they were gone there was nothing to stop him from escaping.

They had locked him in a cell, but this cell contained more than a bed. There were guards outside, but nobody inside. They had placed all the chemicals needed for his treatments within reach.

After taking a few deep breaths, a requirement of his human side, Garth picked up the syringe and the bottle of antidote. Without bothering to measure, he injected the mixture into his arm. The effect was immediate and painful. Strangely enough he seemed to enjoy it.

It took a good six hours for the drug to make its way through his system to the point where he could lift himself into a sitting position. That allowed him to reach and remove the chain, which had not been locked, just closed together. After removing his ankle he breathed a sigh of relief. He was free.

After taking a moment to look at his cell from a standing position, he pulled on the leather vest he was supposed to wear at all times and waited as the sensors in the material made any alterations needed for a snug fit. He left it as it was, knowing that combined with the leather jeans and baldhead nobody in their right mind would approach him. He heard a key in the lock and disappeared under the bed.

~Time to go.~

The door opened and two men walked in. Both carried weapons in case they encountered an intruder although it was just as likely that the men simply enjoyed the idea that they could inflict pain on the robot.

"He's gone!" one of the men cried noticing the opened chain.

"Sound the alarm," the other one instructed. "I'll call the Director."

They had no time to do so. Garth was moving before they could close the door, catching both men off guard. His foot connected with the first one's head and he used that man's weapon against the second guard. With the two guards gone he was able to move out into the corridors.

He checked his internal database and noted the security codes necessary to use the facility's mapping system. He typed his enquiry into one of the handy computer terminals and waited for a response. Memorising the routes he needed he entered several more searches, confusing any attempts to find him based on his interaction with the computer.

Reaching the lift he bypassed the security system by removing the call button from the wall and opened the door by shorting the contacts. Setting the lift for the top floor he pulled up the carpet in the lift car and opened the access hatch underneath. As the car stopped, he dropped through the lift floor and swung to the cables behind the lift. There he remained as security noticed the hole and called an alert that he was loose somewhere in the building. He waited until most of the security detail had left to search the lower floor before climbing back into the lift and out through the doors.

Scanning the room he detected guards in their normal positions. They were watching the doors, but that was not where he was heading yet. Instead he moved to one of the workshops where the engineers had been busy working on a special power source. While he was faster and stronger than a normal human, he lacked the weapons of a Ranger; the small generator would allow him to deploy the virus as a form of armour. The suit provided him with a selection of built in weapons based on the publicly patented designs of Anthony Stark.

Fortunately it seemed the guards were so busy looking for him that they had failed to lock the laboratory. He walked in and plucked the power converter from the table and attached it to the connectors the doctor's had thoughtful positioned outside of his body. Then he moved on to the suit of armour designed to function as a powered enhancement for his weapon systems. He placed a few commands into the suit's computers, deactivating it and removed the control unit from the chest, knowing that that would allow him to summon the armour should he need it; there was very little he could accomplish with the bulky suit at that moment and avoiding detection in a bright yellow suit of armour was unlikely.

After removing the nearby computer's hard-drive, he made his way back to the door and then out into the hall. From there he made his way back to the lower levels, knowing that the guards would have discovered his deception and would be heading up to the upper levels of the facility.

He played the same game with security for a few hours before finally deciding it was time to leave. By that time the guards had decided that he had left and had returned to their positions. The scientists had discovered his sabotage of their creation and were trying to discover what he had done.

As it turned out, sneaking out proved to be no problem until he reached the door. The guards appeared not to notice him, but they would notice a door opening and even though bullets would not kill him, they would make it easier to catch him.

"Attention all personnel, security measures have been activated. Do not attempt to leave the facility."

The warning continued to sound despite the security personnel returning to their other tasks. He knew that those so-called security measures would kill the human workers within the facility. That meant there was a good chance they would either slow him down or worse, disable him long enough for a capture team to arrive.

"All personnel should note that the fire suppression system will now be tested."

Fiends! The sudden shower of water soaked the inside of the facility and all those within its walls. Before the system cut out an electric pulse would be sent through the water in an attempt to disable his brain functions and allow them to find him. Had he not been at the front door, escape would have been impossible.

Deciding he had nothing to lose and grateful that he had decided not to use the armour, his body exploded into action, smashing through the doors and running towards freedom. What followed was a blur as he ran the gauntlet of defences intended to keep him inside. When he finally reached a road he managed to hitch a ride to the nearest town. Already he was planning where to go next.

* * *

Later

He finished reading through the reports and angrily pushed them into a drawer. The operation was a failure. Millions of dollars had been lost in the space of an afternoon and if the test subject was not recovered, the billions of dollars invested in their facility was at risk.

It would take months to begin work on a new prototype. Releasing whatever locks he had used to disable the prototype armour would require a rewrite of all its systems. More money down the drain. With Operation Lightspeed already close to going live, they could not afford this sort of disaster.

That was why he had agreed to the new contract. It wasn't the sort of thing his company specialised in. But he had a good idea of how to accomplish the task. With the right persuasion he would convince one of the facility's other guests to help him. After all making such deals was what he did best.

**End**


	19. Friendship beyond Death

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to their respective copyright owners. This fic takes place in the Conquest of Evil Universe

Friendship beyond Death

_Paris, France_

_Less than a year earlier _

_In a deserted warehouse outside the city two figures watched as a third walked into the open. _

_"Bulky, I'm bored," Skull complained from their hiding place behind some storage cans. "We've been watching this Ryan guy for hours. When are we going to go home?" _

_"Quiet Skull," Bulk hissed. "You know the boss said this guy is dangerous. Do you want to end up dead?" _

_Bulk and Skull had been in Spy Training ever since coming to France. To start with their training had been mostly physical training with a lot of paperwork. Both had benefited from the training. Skull had developed a sporting physique with good definition, built for speed and strength. Bulk on the other hand had lost most of his weight and replaced it was muscle. He now resembled a football player Angel Grove High would have killed for. _

_In addition both had been taught to defend themselves and Skull's Swordsmanship training had improved on the previous lessons his uncle had given him. _

_Both men had matured since being away from Angel Grove. They'd met new friends and colleagues and stopped fooling around. Both now bore a greater responsibility since they were able to carry guns. _

_Unfortunately patience was one of the things neither boy had learnt yet. Both were still eager to please Inspector Klauseau, so when he had given them their first assignment they had jumped at the chance. A number of disappearances had taken place over the last few months and two names had been constant in each report: Richard Ryan and William Kincaid. _

_"Hey look!" Skull said. _

_Looking over towards the man they had been sent to trail they noticed a tall black man standing in front of him. From their position Bulk and Skull could see the two men were trash talking and it looked as though Ryan was winning the war of words. _

_"Whoa!" Bulk exclaimed as he saw the larger man produce a cutlass and swipe at the youth known as Richard Ryan. "That's Kincaid." _

_"The other guy's got one too!" Skull added noting that Ryan had drawn a military sabre. _

_A brief battle followed, neither opponent afraid to use under handed tactics to win. After what seemed like hours, Ryan drove his sword into his opponent's stomach. _

_"He killed him," Bulk whispered. _

_Skull didn't reply. For some reason he felt compelled to watch what was happening. Ryan was standing over his opponent sword raised over his head. _

_Ryan yelled something but they could not make out the words as he brought the sword down, slicing through skin, muscle, blood vessels, bone, arteries, muscles and skin. _

_Bulk and Skull were speechless having just witnessed their first murder. Sure they had seen monsters in Angel Grove and had live with a winged monkey and living skeleton for a few months, but nothing prepared them for what they had just seen. _

_A strange mist seemed to float from the decapitated body and enter Ryan's body. The head and body disappeared into the smoke. _

_"We need to go Bulky," Skull said urgently. Something told him what was about to occur. "Run!" _

_Bright lights filled the building. Something moved in the darkness. A bolt of stray energy hit the canisters that Bulk and Skull had been using for cover igniting the chemicals inside. As the canisters exploded, both boys scrambled to escape, Bulk's larger frame shielded his friend. Then time seemed to stop as another light engulfed them. When it lifted, Bulk was gone. _

_There was a noise to his right. "Bulk?" Skull asked tentatively. _

_There was no answer from his larger friend. Pulling himself to his feet he stumbled over to where the noise had originated and found his friend lying face down in the dirt. Skull checked his friend for injury. He didn't need to look very far; a piece of shrapnel was lodged in the back of Bulk's spine. A quick check and Skull knew there was no need to hurry with an ambulance. Farkus Bulkmier, known to the world as Bulk was dead. _

* * *

Angel Grove

The present

"Bulkie!"

Skull's snapped open, sweat soaking through the thin material of his T-shirt. He was shaking, trembling at the memory of his friend's death. He had believed that he was finally moving on with his life, but the dreams just hadn't stopped and since the resumption of hostilities by the Machine Empire and Rita Repulsa. But the nightmares had really started after he had seen Tommy and Goldar clash. For some reason that image had triggered his memory of Ryan and whomever he had killed that night.

"Maybe I should speak to Lita," he said. "Yeah sure, like I'm not already crazy enough, now I'm talking to myself."

Lita Kino was one of Angel Grove's psychologists. In the past she had helped the Rangers deal with the issues that could affect their ability to fight and most recently she had been assigned as part of the Student Services Team at Angel Grove High School. He guessed that if he needed to talk to somebody about Bulk, she would be his best bet.

He didn't notice as something moved outside his window, shuffling off to report to its master.

* * *

Miles above the Earth

"Count Dregon, the Maggots you ordered to watch Eugene Skullovitch have reported that the block we placed on the human is starting to fail," Nefaria reported.

That was unfortunate. During his time in Angel Grove, Skullovitch had gotten close to the Power Rangers of Earth. If the block that Dregon and his subordinates had placed on his mind failed, there was a chance the Rangers or worse, the Masked Rider, would discover what they had been up to. And if that happened, then months of research would be ruined.

"Devise a strategy to remove Skullovitch before he remembers," Dregon ordered.

He had a great deal invested in his little research project. Finding a way to deposit his forces on Earth without his nephew's knowledge had proven difficult. Still it had been necessary for him to do so if he wanted to enslave the planet. Since the facility had been put in place, his Maggots had captured as many species of animals as possible. He planned to understand them and then to find a way to mutate them into soldiers; on Edenoi he had used the native insect-type species to enhance the collection of cybernetic and mutated specimens that made up his army.

Of course Edenoi had been one of his favourite conquests. During the invasion he had captured and married King Lexian's daughter, securing himself a place within the Royal Family. He had then joined forces with Edenoi's rogue elements, warlords like Scorpius, and had launched an all out assault on the planet. He had slaughtered his brother-in-law, but a confrontation with King Lexian had left him scarred. Lexian had escaped his forces and had taken his grandson with him. If Dregon had managed to capture the infant Prince Dex, he would have been the legitimate ruler of the planet.

What Dregon had not known at the time - for even now Dregon was the first to admit that he was ignorant of the various heroes operating within his territory - was that Lexian was the holder of the Masked Rider powers. They were powers Dregon could not claim because even though he could duplicate the technology, they were bound to Lexian's lineage.

Instead Dex had been taken into hiding and he had been unable to claim the powers. He had been forced to enslave the fiercely loyal population while he searched for the fugitive king. Then the day he had feared had arrived, Prince Dex was appointed as the Masked Rider for Edenoi. Dregon had not been foolish enough to remain once Dex had motivated the King's forces. He had decided to track down the Power Rangers that had turned up to help his nephew, and in doing so had found his way to Earth.

For two years Dregon had attempted to conquer the planet, using strategies that had worked on other planets. His nephew had thwarted his plans each time. So Dregon had decided to use the creatures of Earth to create a more powerful army that he could turn against the human population.

It had been a stealth operation, carried out while Dregon had continued to send Insectivores to Leewood. He had acquired the services of the Earth's most prominent scientists to help him. While some worked in laboratories using knowledge he provided to break down the genetic coding of all forms of organic life on the planet, others worked to find ways to alter those genetic codes although they had not been told how their research would be used.

Additional special teams had been assembled, some dedicated to investigating mythical islands like Lemuria, Laputa and Animaria, while others had been given leave to search for useable genetic material from the creatures once known as dinosaurs. He had established contacts within the governments of the world, allowing him access to all manner of beasts; if single monster attacks would not work, he planned to bombard the planet with hundreds of mutant soldiers; animal or plant, living or deceased, native or alien, it wouldn't matter once those he employed unlocked the secrets to life itself.

Part of his plans had required him to collect living humans as specimens. Unfortunately when he had sent the Maggots to collect test subjects, he had not specified that they should not take anybody affiliated to Angel Grove, the Power Rangers or his nephew. It should have been an obvious thought, but then Maggots were not known for their mental prowess.

So they would not attract attention, those they had taken had been snatched away from certain death, such as one Farkus Bulkmier who had been taken after being killed during a freak lightning storm. They had not noticed his friend until after the kidnapping and had been forced to alter Skullovitch's memory of the event; kidnapping both Bulk and Skull would have drawn the interest of unwanted parties.

Since his supposed death, Bulk had been the guinea pig for some especially cruel experiments conducted by beautiful yet merciless Ms Canker. He had endured countless hours of discomfort as scientists had attempted to find ways on infusing humans with animal and plant traits before discovering that the trick was to implant plants and animals with genetic material from humans. Further work had already started on combining the properties of plants, animals and technology to form new hybrids and several papers had been produced on how the combination of technology with Org spirits could be used to create new life.

And now months later the block they had used on Skullovitch was starting to break down. Soon he would remember the real events of his friend's kidnapping, and that in turn would lead to the involvement of the Rangers. ~I should have just had the Maggots return him and erased both their memories,~ he thought. ~still, it is Angel Grove and accidents do happen...~

"I calculate a ninety-eight percent chance of exposure if subject achieves total recall, an eighty percent risk of exposure if he achieves partial memory restoration..."

"Thank you, Fact. That will be all," Dregon interrupted before the robot managed to reel off statistics for all the possible outcomes.

"Fact unit has further calculations available."

"Yes well... I get the idea. Report for recharge."

"Compliance."

With the annoying yet extremely useful machine that was a clear masterpiece of technology upgraded by Mondo's forces gone, Dregon tapped his mask a few times as if thinking, then smiled. "Nefaria, dear... pick an Insectivore, any Insectivore..."

"Oh, you've been watching the Doom Tree Saga again, haven't you?"

Dregon laughed. "I might actually choose a few Japanese artists to join my court bards after I conquer Earth," he said as he gestured to the shelves that held his monsters. These were his older specimens made from mutated Edenite DNA. Once he unlocked the key to human hybrids though he would replace this outdated collection.

Nefaria smiled seductively and walked over to the shelf. "Hmm... ah!" She grabbed one that looked like a fire ant walking on four of its legs and using the other two as arms. "I choose this one."

Dregon smiled. "Ah... Inferno. I had good results using this one that little rebellion on Theadon," he said, sending the being down to Earth. Inferno would deal with Skullovitch and the humans would be none the wiser.

* * *

_Paris Mortuary,_

_Months Earlier _

_"Monsieur Skullovitch, I know this is difficult but I would ask you to look at the body in this room and tell me if it is indeed Farkus Bulkmier," the police official said. _

_"Oui Monsieur," Skull replied. _

_He gazed at Bulk's body noting the peaceful look on the boy's face. His heart sank, as he thought of life on his own. _

_"Au revoir, Bulky," Skull said before allowing the morgue officials to show him out. _

* * *

Angel Grove

The present

He remembered that day clearly, the image of his friend lying on the table forever etched in his memory. But something wasn't right about the memory. He hadn't noticed before, there had seemed nothing unusual about the proceedings, which had played out like an old television movie.

And that was a problem. His memory of events was wrong, the morgue had been wrong. As a detective he had visited the building on occasion, and had remarked to Bulk how plain the buildings appeared, certainly not the huge gothic building he had seen on television, or in his memories.

~But why would I remember the wrong building?~ he asked himself.

That thought caused him to remember the events of that fateful night. As he played them back again, he noticed how some incidents were seemed more real than others. Too real, there was a sickly and artificial feel to them.

He didn't notice as he continued to concentrate that his body had started to glow. White and silver light surrounded him, magical energy burning through the false memories as he started to see the truth.

Skull was taken by surprised as power flared around him, locking onto the incoming threat of the Maggots as they arrived. As the light faded, Eugene Skullovitch found himself clad in a white suit with silver decorations. It was similar to the uniforms worn by the Power Rangers, although he could not recall ever seeing them wearing that particular design. It was an interesting material. While it was not solid armour, it wasn't the thin fabric that the Power Rangers were regularly seen in. Leather was the closest description he could think of although as he stared he could see the silvery sheen moving on the surface.

Instinctively, he tried a few kicks, and found that despite the obvious weight of his new uniform, it was extremely easy for him to move. His movements were swift and with a little concentration he could feel himself lifting from the ground.

"Not bad," he grinned, confused about what had just happened, but so used to strange things happening that he wasn't about to panic. "I must be some sort of hero... Let's see what I have for a weapon." Concentrating, he felt a surge of energy and as he extended his hand, the energy coalesced into a long silver sabre. It was a cavalry sabre, approximately two and a half feet long, made of purest silver. Skull had a feeling, however, that it was a lot harder than steel. He tested its weight and heft with a few practice swings and thrusts, letting out a delighted laugh. "It's perfect!" he grinned to himself. "Perfectly balanced. Makes sense, I guess."

Then he remembered where he was, just as the first Maggot lunged forward.

* * *

"My Lord, Skullovitch has transformed into an unknown warrior," Cycloptor announced, earning a glare from Nefaria, who had been enjoying the villain's attention. "He has proven highly resistant to the efforts of your Maggots."

"My research shows that humans are very sentimental," Nefaria said before Dregon could respond. "Why not send his friend to retrieve him, since it is their... friendship that is causing us problems."

"Yes, a beautiful plan Nefaria. Send in the Commandoids and instruct them to take Bulkmier with them."

* * *

For months he had been kept in a small room. He couldn't call it a cell. For one thing all the cells he had ever seen on television appeared far more comfortable. After his capture, Dreeg or whatever his name was, had subjected him to countless tests before deeming that he would be most useful as cannon fodder. As a result, Farkus Bulkmier had been recruited into Dregon's small army of human slaves.

Except something had not gone to plan. Bulk had not been brainwashed as easily as the other subjects, although certain people would argue that he lacked a brain in the first place. He had kept his independence while hiding his defiance behind a mask.

Bulk was good at wearing masks. He and Skull had worn many masks over the years, mostly to cover up their feelings of loneliness, jealousy and inadequacy. They had played the roles of the bullies, the fools and on occasion the clueless. They had searched for the identity of the Power Rangers because by doing so they had put others off of doing so. They had played bullies, but had done so in such a way that nobody was allowed to bully the other students except them, and they made sure that they were not so much feared as pitied.

Still, when he was pulled from his room and told that he was to be a part of the squad sent to capture Skull, it had taken all the acting skills he possessed not to show the concern he felt. Even as he was forced into line with other conscripts, those who were already too far gone to be saved from Dregon's programming, he was wondering what he could do to get out of the situation with his life. He was so preoccupied that he didn't notice the faint trail of golden sparks that ran the length of his body.

* * *

Skull was outnumbered, but with his new powers he managed to overpower his attackers. His sabre made short work of any Maggots foolish enough to move within the arc of his blade. As they swarmed forward though he was unable to hold back the pushing mass of foot-soldiers. A small amount of energy flowing through the tip of the blade allowed it to slice the Maggots in half.

Then a new group of warriors arrived, wearing hockey masks. He found himself surrounded by the strange foot-soldiers and for a moment considered fleeing. That was until one of the Commandoids ploughed into his comrades with a shoulder block. Skull watched, impressed as the large man slammed into the Commandoids.

Bulk knew that he had changed a great deal during his captivity. Not only had he lost weight, the regime had added muscle to his frame. As he shoved the nearest Maggot, he was pleased with the result. His body was pulsing as the same energy that had turned Skull into a superhero, transformed him into a black and gold clad warrior. An axe appeared in his hand as instinct took over and he tore into their collective opponents.

Skull didn't know the identity of the other combatant, but was grateful for the help as together they chopped and hacked their way through their opponents. He found the knowledge he needed miraculously appeared in his mind when he called for it.

"Power Kick!" he cried, ploughing into a group of foot-soldiers.

"Power Punch!" his ally yelled before shoving his way into the throng. "Look out!"

Skull dodged just as the Insectivore that had snuck up behind him hissed out a blast of flame.

"Surrender humans!" The monster's voice was full of clicks and hisses.

Inferno was cut short as both warriors put their bladed weapons aside and opted for something that offered more protection. Metal plates appeared around their upper bodies, forearms and lower legs. A helmet appeared on their respective heads. Their weapons grew bulkier and gleamed as they launched themselves into battle.

"Battle Bike!" they called.

In a lockup garage in the suburbs of Angel Grove, the duo's commands were obeyed. Before they had gone to France they had spent many an hour working on their motorcycle sidecar. And over the years it had been just as affected by the magical activity in the area as they had. So with a little prompting from the Power, the bike was teleported to its waiting masters, ready for combat.

"Wow, this thing never looked better," Skull commented as he climbed onto the bike.

The addition of its rider promptly transformed the bike, making it more streamlined and better protected. The sidecar offered even more protection to the occupant and Bulk promptly clambered inside.

"Yeah, we could never have gotten it to look this good," Bulk agreed.

He sensed the moment that his words sank in. Skull froze, looking at the other hero in disbelief. There was no way this could be happening, the chances were just too remote.

"Bulk?" Skull dared to ask. "BULKIE!"

There was a touching moment as the two friends embraced, each trying to tell the other how good it was to see them again. It was a moment that was interrupted when they discovered just how volatile their new armour could be, and further ruined when the Insectivore decided to attack.

"Hey!" Bulk complained as Skull was forced to rev the engine to avoid the incoming attack. "We're having a moment here."

"Yeah!" Skull added. "A moment... good to have you back Bulkie."

"Good to be back Numbskull," Bulk answered. "Now, let's finish this guy."

Skull directed the bike away from the Insectivore, building up a distance between them before turning back to face him. The bike lurched forward, building up speed and then stopped, launching the sidecar into the monster. The rocket propelled sidecar connected, sent Inferno rolling backwards.

" Power Sabre!"

"Power Axe!"

The Insectivore never stood a chance as two energised weapons split it down the middle. As they turned away from the explosion it suddenly occurred to them that they had been reunited... and they were super heroes.

"Oh boy," Skull remarked as the armour withdrew. "I think we need to talk to the head."

* * *

Power Chamber

It took a few hours for Bulk and Skull to get over their delight at being reunited and teleported to the Power Chamber, a task made difficult because Bulk had yet to be given a communicator. Once they had arrived though, Zordon and Alpha had worked tirelessly to confirm that it was indeed Bulk.

Once that had been established and Bulk had told his story, they had called the Rangers together. They had also summoned Prince Dex. Their presence was threefold: to continue scanning for the mysterious ship from the night before, to hear Bulk and Skull's story, and to determine how to explain away Bulk's absence.

The latter problem was solved when Skull remembered just how few people had cared about Bulk's death, or even remembered that it had happened. They decided that given Bulk's ability to get into trouble, they would just admit he had been abducted by aliens. The news had been acceptable to most although he had been forced to agree to meet with a scientist to discuss his experience. That done their attention turned to Dex.

For the veteran Masked Rider this turn of events had been unexpected. When his last apprentice, Jesse, had been destroyed during the Minion Crisis, Dex had thought that the powers of Earth's Masked Rider had died with him. Now it seemed that the Power had chosen two new warriors to help put a stop to Dregon. They were not Masked Riders, but they were not Power Rangers either.

"Thank you for the information," he said finally. "Dregon has somehow managed to avoid detection. That will stop today."

"Zordon, what are Bulk and Skull going to do now?" Kimberly asked. She had not let go of her boyfriend since he arrived.

"I will help provide the training they need," Dex offered. "Earth is too valuable a planet not to be protected. I am sure Bulk and Skull will prove invaluable in the fight against Dregon."

After a while the Rangers with the exception of Kimberly had left and Dex had returned to Leewood, allowing Bulk and Skull time to speak with Zordon. There were many things to sort out and the first step was taken later that day when Bulk teleported away to meet with his family, leaving Kimberly and Skull to head to the Juice Bar for a Smoothie.

Zordon watched them go, conflicted by the recent events. He had been pleased that Bulk was alive, even though he had never met him in person. On the other hand he was a strong believer that there had to be balance in the Universe. For the forces of good to have received such a boost for Bulk's return could only mean that there was something sinister on the horizon.

* * *

Los Angeles

Night time

He staggered into the street, right into the path of a young woman heading home after a hard day. He stooped, unable to keep his balance, indifferent to the clatter of tins as she dropped her paper shopping bag and ran to his side.

"Are you okay?" she asked, offering him a handkerchief as he continued to cough. Spots of blood-covered cotton as his body shook in another coughing fit.

"Yes, thank you," he managed between coughs.

He looked ill, on the point of collapse if he didn't have her to hold him up. The woman looked around, hoping there was a phone or at least somebody that could call an ambulance; she didn't think for a moment that leaving the poor man alone would be a good idea.

"You're very kind," the young man told her, wiping a hand across his dark skin. "I'm sorry I have to do this."

"What?"

She tried to pull away, but his hand gripped her wrist tightly, pulling her close despite her struggles. For the first time she noticed that he was wearing a black glove with raised metal rivets.

"I have some good news and some bad news," he told her, flashing a charming smile as he did so. "The bad news is this will hurt like hell. The good news is that I won't feel a thing."

His hand moved to her throat, squeezing to stop her from catching a breath. The skin on her face grew painfully tight against her skull as her eyes bulged from the pressure. The blood pressure built in the arteries of her neck as her face was set into an agonised grimace. He watched her expression carefully and when it seemed she was on the point of passing out, he put his other hand on the top of her head.

Black energy trailed up his arm and into his chest as he fed on the bio-electrical energy in her body, draining her life into his body where he could use it to stabilise him. He grinned as she passed out and continued to drain her. He took all her energy, killing every cell as he greedily fed.

"I guess I still have that killer smile," he smirked before shimmering away.

**End of Part **


	20. Starting Anew

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to their respective copyright owners. No profit is being made from this piece of fan work.

Starting Anew

Angel Grove

After awakening from his enforced coma, and following the assistance he had given to the Rangers against Drac'cuul, it had been decided that Nate Oliver, an unwitting time traveller from a dark future, would remain at the Power Chamber long enough for Zordon and the other Ranger to determine the fate of his powers. At the time of his arrival the energies that had controlled his morphing ability had been uncontrollable, forcing the Rangers to take drastic steps to force him back into his human state. To help him understand the nature of the powers that had survived his experience, Zordon had devised a number of tests.

It was a controversial move that had drawn the attention of the Galactic Council's most senior members. As potentially the single most powerful Ranger in existence, assuming of course that he could still use his powers, Nate's future had been a matter of some debate. Some councillors had gone so far as to demand that the youth's unorthodox transformation device be broken down into its component parts and that while some remained on Earth, others should be handed over to their control.

The Rangers were not taking any chances during the early stages of testing and had made a point of transporting Nate a safe distance from the Power Chamber while positioning those observing the tests inside a reinforced bunker.

"Zordon, I can stress the concern this body feels about this experiment," somebody was saying.

"Councillor Rheina, I have assured the Council countless times that Nate is unwilling to accept your offer, has no allegiance to the Council and as a resident of the planet Earth is outside your jurisdiction."

"Still if you ordered him, he would agree," the councillor pointed out.

"Nor Councillor is he under my command. We do not know how he acquired his powers, but there were no  
Grid Masters at that time to act as his mentors."

"You've been warned Zordon," Ommtette stated, realising there was little he could say to alter the White  
Master's stance; on Earth the Council had no authority. "If anything goes wrong, you will be held responsible."

As the two politicians continued their discussions, the Zeo Rangers were busy positioning the last pieces of a complex metal wall in position. Built from gold, silver and other materials known to absorb the energies that Rangers wielded when morphed, it functioned as an adapted Faraday cage in case anything went wrong.

"Now that you've found your centre, try to draw the energy along your arm and into your hands, then allow it to return to your chest," Zordon instructed. In the initial stages he was using meditation and focus building exercises to direct his student.

As the Grid Master continued to offer advice, Nate strained to complete the exercise. He had never been taught how to use his powers; there hadn't been time to find ways to develop the channels needed to direct the flow of power. And since there was no way for him to summon the Power Pack without triggering at least a partial transformation, it was still unclear exactly how his powers would manifest. They couldn't even guarantee that some of the components still functioned.

If they could force the Power Box back into reality, Nate seriously doubted that it would remain intact for long. Its nature made it too unstable as a breakdown in any one component had the potential to destabilise the complex energy matrix of the remaining pieces.

Drawing from his body's natural energy was surprisingly simple, almost instinctive. The success was noticeable as Nate's skin started to glow, a clear indication that his powers were on the point of igniting once more. With an effort he managed to suppress the process, keeping it from spiralling out of control, well aware that to do so would risk the overload he had suffered the last time.

"Good. Now this time, try to force the energy into a beam of light through your fingertips and merging the light into a ball."

Nate frowned as he concentrated harder. His powers wanted to help him, to do the work for him, but he refused to let the potent energy escape his control. With a grunt he managed to force the energy through his fingertips, but his attempt was a little too forceful as the explosive beams of light punched holes in the nearby mountainside.

The burst of energy could be seen for miles around as Nate struggled to maintain control.

"Concentrate Nate," Tommy urged. "If you can't contain it, shape it to do what you want, what you need."

Nate didn't reply, his mind focussed on stopping the escalating power surge. He tried to force the Power to take a form, focussing on the Rangers he had seen in action since coming to this world. He fought to keep his thoughts in the present, desperate to quench the memories that wanted to break free at this most inappropriate of times. That didn't stop the images from drifting through his head, diverting his attention as his demons tried to assert themselves.

"That's it," Tanya encouraged. "You're almost there."

The beacon of uncontrolled energy lit up the land, causing a few random sandstorms on the other side of the world. With a new sense of urgency Nate fought the process, bending it to his mind, his thoughts racing between the form he wanted to take and those things he remembered.

"Power Up!"

It was one of many phrases that came to mind. It didn't fit the transformation, but at that time he was too busy to worry about that. The process was still not entirely under control. He could feel himself being pulled in different directions as the different energy types fought for dominance.

"Power Down!"

He hadn't been certain if this would work until he tried it. The magical powers of the Morphin Grid obeyed his command, ceasing to flow almost immediately and leaving behind a golden bracelet containing eight coloured stones. The other energy sources were scientific in nature and could not be directed by willpower alone. Instead of deactivating, they tried to break away from his control, manifesting a few meters away.

"Nate, the Power Box is growing unstable," Billy warned.

The Power Box had been designed to operate as a collective unit and could not process the multiple data streams that overwhelmed its controls. Realising that an exploding multi-morpher would likely prove more destructive than many of the world's nuclear weapons, he used his freshly gained powers to suppress the cascading reaction and shut the powers down manually.

The smoke took a while to clear, but when it did the Rangers could see that the experiment had been a success. Nate stood unharmed, a gold coin clutched firmly in his hand remained.

"I believe that will be enough for one day," Zordon decided.

Off to one side another observer, a Time Lord known as the Doctor watched in amusement. He found the experiments interesting. Training Nate was proving to be a challenge, which was great since he found it distracted him from his own problems, such as how he came to be in Angel Grove. This was not the Earth that he had known. History had been rewritten, causing a war that humans should have remained blissfully unaware of, to feature Earth as one of the higher value prizes. At first he had believed that this was an alternate reality or parallel universe as he preffered to think of it, which perhaps his time machine's strange and only recently developed habit of locking onto strange upheavals had transferred them to somewhere that they shouldn't be. However his checks had revealed that this was his universe and that the war that his people had been speaking of for hundreds of years was not far away.

Sam was all right of course and had taken their recent vacation from travelling as a chance to see America. He had however given her strict instructions not to contact her parents or travel to see them.

For now though his objective was simply to help Nate and the other Rangers to avoid a potential disaster. It didn't matter that they were using a power source that his race would frown upon. All that mattered was that the young man had access to energy, a lot of it, potent enough to wipe out half the planet if let loose in an uncontrolled fashion; he didn't want to think how much damage a total lack of control could cause.

It was made more difficult because not only did the boy have to channel and control more energy than the human body was intended to hold, but part of that energy was magical in nature; with powers such as Zeo, one and one would usually equal two, but with magic one and one simply equalled more than you started with. Not for the first time he wondered how Nate had been able to control such a mismatched collection of energy currents in the first place.

* * *

"Ready?"

Nate nodded, feeling the power inside of him. He had made great progress in channelling the energy that coursed through him, a feat made easier when it had been suggested that journeying through time had altered his powers. Currently he was concentrating on the Morphin energies, which required the most care and some sort of outlet to avoid an overload.

"Power Up!"

After the previous attempt, Nate had discovered an instinctive knowledge of his powers that all Rangers possessed on some level. That knowledge had allowed Zordon and Alpha to turn the bracelet and coin into an effective morpher, which channelled the power spike and using a template stored within, created the armour of Earth's newest Power Ranger. The suit of tight fitting material was mostly dark grey; the boots were grey, the gloves were grey, and even the helmet was grey. To offset the dark appearance, the top of his boots, the end of his gauntlet gloves, belt and shoulder pads were black, as was the trim surrounding his helmet's visor. Golden thread had been used to create a series of diamond shapes, which ran down the outside of his arms and legs. The same thread had been used to create a dinosaur foot inside a circle on his chest. A small crest rose from the front of his helmet and extended around to the back.

"Congratulations Nate, your morph is completely stable," Zordon confirmed after Alpha had conducted a few tests.

It had taken a while to discover why the previous attempts had failed. Once it had been suggested that the problem was due to Nate lacking any real knowledge of the Morphin Grid when constructing his powers. The coins he had used to channel the Morphin energy had been those damaged by Rito Revolto, which had been originally based upon the power of Dinosaurs, but later modified to use the power of Thunder. The resulting use of such coins had caused Nate to drawn from both sources simultaneously.

"You were right Zordon, the powers combine the Body and Mind aspects of the power," Alpha reported.

"In battle you will yield the Brachio Staff, a weapon you have proven to possess great potency and adaptability," Zordon continued. "The staff will afford you greater protection in battle and offset the lack of a personal Zord."

While Nate had the power to operate a Zord, his unorthodox morpher had not been configured to work with a specific machine. Since there were already plenty of Zords on Earth and more than enough Rangers to operate them, Zordon didn't intend to alter that situation.

"Hey, whaz goin' on?"

Nate looked for the source of the voice, eventually tracking it to the morpher on his wrist. His morpher was speaking to him. In some instances this would have been weird, but after all the things he had been through, a talking wristwatch was not that strange. A memory started to push its way to the surface, bringing with it a name.

"Tweeki?" he asked.

"How's it goin' boss?" the one-time Alpha unit asked. "I can't believe we made it. No way you should ha' survived that."

Tweeki's words brought back some of the memories that had been hidden from him. He remembered his world, the loss of everything he held dear and all because of a single villain. He remembered a battle, a desperate act that had led to him landing a devastating blow to a unbelievably powerful villain; he also recalled his horror moments later when he realised that his powers were out of control.

"Hey hey hey boss, wadja do to ya pow'rs? You had Power Coins, the Zeo Crystal and a Golden Power Staff in 'ere. Where'd they go?"

As Nate with a little help from Zordon and Alpha explained what had happened, Tweeki ran a check of his Ranger's powers. The results would take weeks to compile and would prove a cause for concern.

* * *

Sometime later

"And furthermore, it is the decision of this panel that the Ranger known as Nate Oliver not be permitted to morph until his powers have been examined by a  
Grid Master that the Council has approved. Zordon, you are to demand that he hand over his morpher immediately; should he refuse he is to be dealt with as an enemy. The powers that Oliver displays are too great for a single person to hold. Should he turn rogue there is no guarantee that your current teams could stop him."

"I will do my best Councillor Rheina," Zordon agreed. He didn't have much choice in the matter. The Council could not command the Rangers under his supervision to do anything, but they were technically his superiors.

"You had better Zordon. The Council has been very indulgent when it comes to your activities. The teams you have created are independent, but you are not. We can always request the  
Grid Masters to replace you with a more cooperative representative."

The communication ended and not for the first time Zordon realised that he truly despised politics. There had been no plans to include Nate in protecting the planet anyway. Training him to use his powers had been important to prevent any unfortunate accidents. Still this was the latest in a number of decrees made by the Council and aimed at interfering in the way Zordon and his Rangers operated. Since the Drac'cuul incident the Council had become more aware of what the Rangers of Earth could do and given the belief that Earth was a planet filled with primitives, those revelations had been alarming.

* * *

Chicago

2300 Hrs

They were making love in the back of his stretched limousine and she was reaching her peak, dragging her fingers down the length of his bed, leaving a thin trail of marks in their wake. She was wonderful, the best hooker that he had ever found while curb crawling through the streets of Chicago. Long blond hair and legs that seemed to go on for miles, her soft Australian accent had been the thing that had encouraged her to pay her the extra; he usually got his jollies for less than ten dollars.

"Oh baby, you're the best," he panted.

She remained silent, her face fixed in an expression that showed that while she seemed to be enjoying herself, it was hardly the best experience of her life.

"Tell me you want it," he encouraged, his ego demanding some sort of response.

"Oh I want it," she told him, running her hand over his face. "I want everything you have big boy."

When had the glove appeared on her hand, he was certain it had not been there before. He could feel the cold metal studs as she drew them over his shoulder.

"I'll take it all," she told him as his body reach the height of ecstasy.

He grunted in satisfaction. She was the best prostitute he had ever had in his car. She was worth every cent he had paid for her services. She was - refusing to let go as she pulled his head into her chest.

"Relax honey," she whispered, "this won't take any longer than you did."

She purred as he started to scream. She enjoyed the sex, but it was the moment she got to take everything she wanted, that she lived for. As she drained his body's energy she started to fell more alive, it was a rush that would last for a few days before she would need to find a new victim. It was an annoyance, but the price of her continued survival.

"Say my name, Boy!" She told him, pulling back on his hair so she could look into his terrified eyes.

"Cathy!" he croaked with his dying breath.

"And don't you forget it," she told him as she tossed his limp body away, propelling it through the car door and into the street before picking herself up off the seat, reclaiming her clothes and shimmering away in a haze of pink.

**End of Part **


	21. The Price of Charity

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any other show. No profit is being made from this piece of fanfiction. The next few chapters will borrow heavily from Turbo: A Power Ranger Movie.

Author's Note: Some events in this chapter follow on from those Lerigot's Greatest Trick.

The Price of Charity

Klatos Seven

The tip of the arrowhead glistened in the afternoon sun as a misshapen hand drew back the bow string until it was taut, notched an arrow and realised it with practised ease. The snap of the wire was the only sound as the arrow flew through the air, driving itself into a rotten log, resulting in an explosion of light.

*Father, they found us,* Bethel cried, her panic overwhelming the mental connection among the three escapees.

Her father, Lerigot placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder before regarding the spell he had been working on. The long distance doorway he had been working to create was finished, but the arrow had prevented him from fine-tuning their destination.

*Stay here and prepare for transport,* the wizard instructed, allowing their attacker to catch a glimpse of him as he ran into the undergrowth. *I will be back when the door is fully opened.*

The furry, gnome-like creature jumped over logs, fleeing in supposed terror into the brush. The two oversized warriors pursuing him followed, one of them taking aim. The arrow crunched into a tree just inches over the fleeing wizard's head with a resounding slam.

* * *

Earth

With a resounding slam the foot connected with the red punching bag. The filtered light gave the fighter a shadowy appearance as his sweaty body moved with practised precision. As he moved, his long hair flew out of his eyes eliciting another grunt from his muscular chest. This was a workout and from the fighter's panting it was clear that he had been exerting himself for a while. As he moved, another fighter entered the fray, his fist making contact with the bag from an entirely different direction. There was a whoosh of air as the bag swung wildly to one side.

* * *

Klatos Seven

There was a distinct whooshing sound as the creature swung from a vine and dropped down in a roll on the ground. He rose quickly and continued through the forest of dense vegetation and shrouded mists. He could hear his pursuers not far behind him, but Lerigot knew they would not catch him. He was after all a powerful wizard.

He missed his human form, but away from his home planet he was resigned to wearing the coarse woven robe belted with twine that covered his silver and gold fur. He threw a small amount of powder from the worn leather pouch at his waist, hiding his trail for a moment longer.

There was a loud crash as the two warriors broke through the brush behind him. It was too late to catch him though as Lerigot vanished around the corner making frantic trills and clicking noises that he knew those waiting for him would understand. The powder worked its magic and though the arrows slashed the air around him, they were incapable of piercing his hide.

His pursuers were thrown for a moment, long enough for him to return to his wife and daughter. His luminous eyes peered into those of his terrified daughter as she stared into his lavender orbs. He stopped just long enough to ensure that the doorway between worlds was finally open before heading off in a different direction, once again buying time for his family.

* * *

High above the planet the Space Pirate, Divatox, watched her warriors. Her slender hands, which were encased in metal, wrapped around the sides of a periscope, tightening as she saw the arrows almost strike the fugitive wizard. With a growl she slammed the periscope up. Her ebony hair flailed, shifting the silver streaks that ran down her back.

Divatox was known for her beauty, but woe betides any man foolish enough to believe that beauty extended beneath the skin. She was a sinister nomad, a barbaric pirate who was not afraid to marry those whose wealth she wanted and then kill them.

"Fools!" she snarled as she slammed her fist on the control panel. "I want that fur ball wizard alive!"

* * *

Earth

Present, 1100hrs

The three shadows lunged at the bag, one after the other. Tommy's hair whirled uncontrollably as he delivered a fierce punch before ducking aside to allow Rocky a chance to slam his forearm into the side and Adam to land a swift kick. With a cry of rage Tommy delivered a spin kick that threatened to tear the punch bag from its mountings.

* * *

Klatos Seven

They were far from the ritual site now and Lerigot continued to keep himself just outside the range of his pursuers. At the opportune moment he stumbled, slipping on the wet stones of the almost dry river bed. The hem of his robe snagged on a tree root and he let out a small cry of panic as he fell forward. He had lost valuable time and from the noise behind him it was clear that his had caught up.

"Say your prayers, Lerigot!" one of the warriors cried.

Lerigot's response was to surround himself with dust, knowing it would confuse his enemies long enough for him to make the small teleport back to the clearing where he had left his wife and child.

The warriors moved their mounts forward, backing what they believed to be Lerigot into the trunk of a tree. The warrior raised his bow, aimed and then stopped.

"What are you waiting for?" the other warrior demanded.

The shooter struggled against the unseen, hypnotic effect of the glowing dust. He finally managed to loose the arrow, just as Lerigot disappeared. The arrow embedded itself within the tree.

"He's not there!" the first exclaimed.

The other growled in agreement.

* * *

He reappeared just outside the clearing only to find it empty, the ritual site destroyed by Divatox's forces. His wife and child were gone, his deception had failed and he didn't have time to discover whether they had escaped or been taken because Divatox's forces had found him again. Resolving to trust that his loved ones were safe, and planning to return as soon as he could rebuild the doorway on the other side of the gap, he reached into the leather pouch at his waist and removed his Golden Key. Using the power of the key to grab the residual energy of the doorway, he was able to create a whirling vortex.

With a final glance at his attackers he jumped into the portal and disappeared, oblivious to the angry cries of the approaching hunters as they realised their quarry had escaped them again.

* * *

Angel Grove, Earth

The little yellow bus barrelled down the road, the words Little Angel's Haven written on its side in fading black paint. It was a sign of just how bad things had become for the shelter when they could barely keep their bus road legal. The shelter was desperately in need of funding if it was going to survive. The grant from the Wayne Foundation allowed them to cover their day-to-day costs, but the mortgage payments were behind and their bankers were on the point of foreclosing; that a major developer had been making offers to the owners of surrounding properties had made it more profitable should the bank repossess.

They had tried to keep the news from the children, not wanting them to worry about matters they could not control. Unfortunately while most had been willing to believe that everything was okay, there were a few that were just too perceptive for their own good or had too many worries of their own to join in with the singing.

Always happy to help a good cause, the teenagers known to a select few as the Power Rangers had been recruited to help in a charity drive to save the home. Rocky, Adam and Tommy had entered a competition with the promise of donating their winnings to the good cause. Tanya and Kat had volunteered to give the children a day out, which included a visit to see the boys training.

"Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream..."

While Tanya led the group in a cheerful round of singing, Kat walked up and down the isle, ensuring their charges were okay. She stopped in the middle of the bus when she noticed twelve year old Justin Stewart was not taking part. She knew he had been expecting to leave the shelter to live with his father, and while she didn't know exactly what had happened, it was well known that Dean Stewart was not the most reliable person. With the recent loss of his wife, Justin's father had been away from home, trying to start a new life in another state. It was clear that the disappointment had had an effect on the grieving boy who currently stared sadly out of the window.

"Hey Justin," she greeted as she sat on the seat beside him. "I know you know the words."

"I just don't feel like singing," Justin replied.

"Is everything all right?" she pressed.

"Everything's fine," Justin told her, his tone giving away his slight irritation at the questioning. He shrugged apologetically. "It's no big deal. I just don't want to sing."

Kat sighed, realising that despite wanting to help those in pain, until Justin was willing to open up there was little she could do. As the boy went back to staring out the window, Kat and Tanya exchanged a helpless look before the Pink Ranger continued her way down the bus.

* * *

Angel Grove Arena

1400hrs

They had been at it for five hours and they were growing tired. Tommy, Rocky and Adam were embroiled in a fierce training session inside a three-roped ring. They separated out as Tommy and Rocky started to spar against each other.

"No Tommy, follow it through!" Coach Jim Daniels, a commanding man instructed. Coach Daniels had taken over the duties of teaching Physical Education when Principal Caplan had been too busy to split his duties as administrator of the High School with his role as Gym teacher.

Tommy obeyed, lunging as Rocky and knocking him backwards. While Coach Daniels wasn't into Martial Arts, there was no questioning his ability to motivate his students. He knew what Tommy, Adam and Rocky could do and had resigned himself to keeping them focussed and allowing them to adjust their techniques. Fortunately he knew a bit about Boxing.

"Rocky! Get back in there!" he shouted.

Rocky nodded once and launched a kick, which Tommy deflected with his hands.

"Good, now Adam!"

Adam ran forward and joined the other two. He twisted and jumped in the air, and landed a kick that didn't meet its destination. His next kick was spot on target, but the coach was determined that they would get it right every time.

"Rocky, swing kick!" he ordered, "my hand!"

Rocky tried, but missed the Coach's hand, and landed hard.

"Man! I'm giving it all I've got!" the Blue Ranger groaned as Adam helped him up.

"Maybe we're trying too hard," Adam suggested. "This isn't a fight to the death, maybe we're taking it too seriously."

Rocky shrugged. "Or maybe I'm not trying hard enough ... Hiya!"

He jumped toward the coach's raised hand in a high, hard kick. He hit the target, but tripped over his own feet and landed on the mat.

"You okay Bro?" Tommy asked.

Rocky nodded as Tommy and Adam helped the bruised teen back to his feet.

"Only bruised my pride," he quipped.

"Let's take a break guys," the coach said. "Start again in two hours."

The teens nodded gratefully and made their way from the ring in time to meet Kat and Tanya as they led their group into the arena.

* * *

Kat and Tanya walked behind the group of kids as they moved toward the main area of the arena. Justin walked by himself, a bit removed from the others, something the two girls noticed.

"I wish there was a way to get through to Justin," Kat said. "I know he wants to be a part of things. Maybe watching the guys practice will cheer him up."

"He needs a little time to adjust," Tanya told her. "I mean one minute he's got a home and the next minute his mother has passed away and he's living in a shelter. He's a smart kid, but that's still a lot to take in. Hopefully his father will find a job soon so they can be a family again."

"I hope so, I think they really need each other right now," Kat sighed. "I just wish he would understand that it's okay for him to have fun even though he misses her."

Kat and Tanya ushered the children into the main area of the arena. They stopped when they were met by Rocky, Tommy and Adam in tow.

"Hey guys, who wants a picnic?" Tommy asked. The trip had been intended to show the kids that there were those working hard to raise the money to keep the Shelter open, but since they had decided to take a break, Tommy thought it was a good idea to move the agenda forward.

He was met by enthusiastic nods, especially from Rocky.

"Hey, it was a great kick ..." he could be heard saying to Adam. "The landing needs a little work."

There was a mix of relieved laughter as the group moved outside.

* * *

Klatos Seven

SLAP!

It was a powerful blow that carried all of Divatox's displeasure, something the two useless warriors could understand.

"What do you mean he got away?" she asked, towering over the warrior.

After observing the chase, Divatox had ordered her crew to direct her Subcraft to land in a large body of water, one that she knew would provide the energy to recharge the engines. Currently the large, battered submarine, nestled upon the lake bed, its systems set for minimal power usage.

And now the angry pirate stood in the middle of the chamber, surrounded by the bizarre mix of technological apparatuses and the trophies of past campaigns, facing the two warriors.

"He was too quick," came the fearful response. "We tried but..."

"But what?" Elgar, Divatox's turnip-brained nephew asked. "Hey Auntie Divatox, I told you those two bolt buckets weren't up to snuff!"

"Silence!" Divatox snarled, turning her anger on her nephew. "You were supposed to be in charge of those idiots Elgar!"

Long metal nails shot from her fingers as she swung for her nephew. There was a shower of sparks as she ripped Elgar's mechanical hand from his wrist socket. The hand flew across the room and into the waiting grasp of Rygog, Divatox's sinister and slightly competent second in command.

"You don't ask fools to do a mutant's job," he told her.

"I know that, Rygog!" she replied before her mood changed. "Not to worry boys, we'll get to the Island of Muiranthias if it's the last thing we do!"

"Lucky for you I'll be here to give you a hand!" Rygog told her as he slapped the hand against Elgar's chest.

Divatox shot him a glare, crossed the room and sat upon a throne of twisted shrapnel. A gelatinous eel poked its head from beneath Divatox's cloak. It made a strange squealing sound as it slithered out onto her lap. Divatox stroked the creature's head absentmindedly.

"So you got them?" she asked, her face lightening into a smile when he nodded. "Perfect! Rygog you've restored my faith in you dimwits." The smile turned into a nasty grin. "Now we can lure Lerigot to us ... If he wants his family back, he'll come. Track him!"

* * *

Africa, Earth

The shockwave caused birds to scatter as a fiery orb burst through the Earth's atmosphere, the glowing ball appearing as a small sun in the otherwise azure skyline. There was a bright flash followed by a loud bang as Lerigot ploughed into the undergrowth; the problem with emergency portals was that Lerigot never knew where he would reappear, as proven when he had materialised two miles above the jungle canopy.

The wise sage looked around, shocked by the impact, unsure of his surroundings and fearful that Divatox had his family hostage. He knew the pirate's tastes and knew that getting his wife and daughter back alive was the best he could hope for.

A peeping sound immediately grabbed his attention and as Lerigot looked down, he noticed that he was seated inside a large bird's nest near the tops of the trees. Three baby birds peered up at him, their mouths open as they squawked for food. Mistaking their begging for some sort of communication, Lerigot's eyes became huge as imitated the baby birds, all the time reaching out with his telepathy for some sign of intellect. That proved to be the wrong decision as the baby birds started to peck him. He shifted in the nest and fell out. He clung to a branch for dear life as he shook his head. Luck though was against him as the branch gave way and he fell, sliding down the trunk to the ground below.

The trill that emerged from his lips could have been considered a classic line on many worlds or a slanderous insult on others. On Earth though the closest translation was "Ow!"

* * *

Ziktor Industries, Crossworld City

"... What do you mean the banks have not foreclosed?" Karl Ziktor demanded, all but shouting at the lawyer he had assigned to acquire the rights to the land on which Little Angels Haven currently stood. "Listen to me Bateman, I want that land and you told me you could persuade them... I don't care what Mayor Carrington told them, you assured me that they would comply."

The land was essential to his plans for the redevelopment of Angel Grove. He had spent months paying officials to get the permits he needed, had used all the political power that his position as a major industrialist allowed him to restrict funding for the shelter. Mayor Carrington had prevented him from simply taking over the site, but once the banks foreclosed, there would be little she could do.

"What fund raiser?" he asked. He had made sure that local businessmen would not make any worthwhile donations toward the shelter's survival. "No, keep trying to convince the banks to call in the loans and find a way to stop that event. I don't know, bribe the Fire Department to declare the building unsafe. Yes... I expect results, Bateman."

He replaced the phone and absentmindedly stroked the back of his pet lizard. The acquisition of the building was essential and he was not about to let a group of teenagers defy him. Because unknown to the world, Karl Ziktor was in reality Grimlord, the ruler of Mivertual Real'liti, an unfortunate planet sealed within a temporal space.

"That building will be the centerpiece of my new mall development," he told the lizard. "Those children will be gone by the end of the week, one way or another."

His hand reached out to grasp the Transformation Orb, took a deep breath and spoke.

"Forces of Darkness, empower me! Take me back to Mivertual Real'liti!" Light flashed, and suddenly Karl Ziktor, wealthy businessman, was transformed into Grimlord, evil warlord into on extending his kingdom beyond his dimensionally disjointed world. Clad in strange metal armour, Grimlord did not appear human. Clawed hands and feet, thick scaly skin, and a tail growing from the small of his back gave him more the appearance of a demonic lizard. His eyes glowed with red energy as he scanned the mutants that awaited him.

"Colonel Icebot!" he growled, sending a beam of energy at one wall. A view screen formed, showing a white robot whose face seemed permanently formed into a sly grin. "What is the status of the Reality Wedge?"

During the final days of the villain Minion, the barrier that prevented Grimlord's forces from escaping their distant solar system had been weakened. Colonel Icebot had been working on a way of taking advantage of that weakness, shattering the barrier and allowing the invasion of Earth to begin - for it seemed that the answer to all of Mivertual Real'liti's problems lay in the subjugation of the only planet they could access.

"All is in readiness your Lordship!" the scientist told him. "All that is needed is the Focus Point."

The plan required the placement of a Dimensional Vibrator on the fault line. Had that location been within the boundaries of Crossworld City, where under normal circumstances the barrier was at its weakest, Ziktor would have found a way to purchase the land. Unfortunately his Skugs had determined that the Focus Point was beneath Little Angels Haven in the city of Angel Grove.

"I want that building gone," Grimlord stated. "General Ivar!"

"I await your order to begin!" Ivar responded.

"Very well, Icebot, I require one of your creations. Without an arena there will be no competition, no prize and most importantly, no shelter."

"At once Grimlord!"

* * *

Angel Grove Park

The older teenagers led their charges over to the picnic area, when they were stopped by the appearance of a group of black and gold warriors, which they recognised as Skugs. Though they soon showed the alien warriors that humans were not as weak as they might have believed.

During the battle, which continued even after the Rangers had taken down the Skugs numerous time because they did not know the correct way to dispose of them, Rocky found himself isolated from the rest of the group. He found himself pitted against an overwhelming number of mutants. Before Tommy or Adam could reach him, the Skugs had hauled him into the air and slammed him through a picnic table. Then they had moved out of the way, allowing the black robot known as General Ivar to pummel the defenceless teen.

Just weeks earlier Rocky had narrowly escaped being crippled by the forces of darkness. This time it seemed that he was not going to make it out alive.

"It's time for a Gold Rush!"

Help had arrived. The children and unmorphed Rangers watched with relief as the Power Rangers made their appearance, led by the Gold Ranger. The Skugs were tough, but no match for the combined power of the Rangers, and Ivar having determined that Rocky would not compete in any competition, decided his mission had been a success and withdrew.

"Rocky?" Adam asked, making his way over to where his friend lay. "Get an ambulance!"

He wanted to take his friend back to the Power Chamber, but there were too many civilians around and even if the Gold Ranger had offered, it would have raised too many questions.

"Kat, maybe we should get to the game," Tanya suggested, keen to get the youngsters away from the disturbing scene.

Her teammate nodded, and leaving Adam to tend Rocky, she herded the children away from the park.

* * *

Power Chamber

"Ai-yi-yi, Zordon, Rocky is hurt and we cannot help him."

"Patience Alpha," Zordon replied. "Once Rocky is allowed visitors we will send something to aid his healing. Although I am afraid that some of his injuries will require time to heal."

"Do you think he will be able to remain a Ranger this time?"

Zordon didn't answer. In the last year, Rocky had suffered a number of injuries to his back. While most had been healed there was a serious weakness that made morphing all the more dangerous; Zordon had known Rangers on other worlds retire for less. For that matter it was rare for Rangers to remain active for more than a year at a time. He had tried to give each team some respite, but he had to admit that he had been unfair to them.

~Perhaps the time is coming when we will need to find some new candidates.~

* * *

Mivertual Real'liti

"Report Ivar!"

"One of the members of the fund-raising team has been injured my Lord," the robot responded.

Grimlord pondered the possibilities. Without a team there was no way they could win the prize money and no way the shelter would remain open. By the end of the week the banks would foreclose and he would have the land. Then the Reality Wedge would open the tear and the invasion could begin.

* * *

Africa

The lion roared, no doubt wondering why the strange meal standing before it had not run away. Lerigot gazed at the lion, locking eyes with him and smiled serenely. He closed his eyes and reached out with his senses, humming softly as he waved his free hand over the lion's head. The lion cocked its head and backed away. Lerigot rose and stood with his hands stretched out before him. The male lion cautiously padded forward and sniffed Lerigot's hand. Lerigot opened the pouch at his waist, removes the key and showed it to the lion.

*Alpha?*

* * *

Angel Grove Stadium

Late afternoon

Rocky had been taken to the hospital. There was little the Rangers could do for him until they were free to visit. Still his life was not in danger, and regardless of whether the Rangers had the opportunity to help him heal or not, he would make a full recovery. With little else to do Adam had rejoined the other Zeo Rangers to help supervise the children.

And it was quite a game, highlighted by a number of home runs from the local favourites. Currently the Angel Grove All Stars were leading the Larkdale Lions. The crowd erupted as a handsome African American man in uniform took the plate and crouched into batting position. The ball was pitched, the bat swung... CRACK!

"And the ball is heading toward the stands. It's... outta there!"

The people in the crowd jumped as a hand snatched the ball from the end. Tanya grinned as she held the ball proudly as Tommy, Adam, Kat and Ernie - for even the Juice Bar's owner had taken time out to see the game of the season - cheered; the children from the shelter were in the front row and having a great time.

"Yeah!" Tanya cried ... "Way to go, Dynamo! Here you go, Justin. Why don't you hold onto this for me?"

Justin took the ball and for the first time he smiled a little. It was a small improvement and while Kat and Tanya realised there was a long way to go, it was a start.

"That was a tough catch, Tanya!" Tommy cried enthusiastically, catching onto the sudden change in his young friend.

"Catching that smile was even tougher," Kat whispered to Tanya.

Ernie patted her on the back "Great work. This calls for a celebration ... hot dogs anyone?"

His question was met with a resounding "Yeah!"

"I'll give you a hand," Adam volunteered.

"Hey Adam... why don't you call the hospital again?" Tommy asked.

Adam nodded. "Yeah, I was going to."

* * *

Africa

Communication had been difficult, but possible between the wizard and lion. In the end though it had accomplished very little. The lion had no idea where Alpha could be found although it had decided that Lerigot would not make a good meal while he was still alive. That was not saying much though because as he stood in the middle of the jungle, it occurred to him just how hot it had become.

*Alpha?* he called, hoping that the little android would hear him. *Zordon? ... Help!*

* * *

Power Chamber

"Ah Zordon, just the person I wished to speak to."

"Councillor," Zordon greeted in reply, preparing himself for another round of mental chess.

"It has come to my attention that one of you 'Rangers' has been injured."

"I remind you Councillor that the power of Zeo has been recognised by the Grid

Masters as an approved power source. They ARE Rangers."

The image on the Viewing Screen did not appear pleased, but nodded anyway.

"Regardless, since DeSantos has been injured, you will be needing a new Blue Ranger. I have taken the liberty of interviewing candidates and will let you know the outcome later today."

So that was what this was about. Unable to strip the Zeo Rangers of their powers, the Council was trying to remove the Earthlings from the team, replacing them with those they approved of.

"Your decision is most welcome," Zordon said, "but unnecessary."

"Unnecessary? Surely you don't intend to leave the position vacant." There was a hint of concern in the Councillor's voice. Regardless of how they all looked down on Earth, the planet was too important to leave undefended.

"I meant that I have already instructed Rocky to find a successor until he can resume his role."

It was a lie, but he did intend to tell Rocky to select somebody to fill in for him. He hoped that the announcement would keep the Council at bay for a little longer.

"Now see here Zordon, DeSantos is not a Grid Master, nor is he a recognised member of the Council. What gives him the right to decide something as important?"

"Simple Councillor," Zordon said cordially, "the fact that only Rocky can pass on his Zeonisers."

"You would be breaking the Council's Decree that there should be no new Rangers created on Earth," the other man warned.

"I would not be creating any new Rangers, Councillor," Zordon argued back. "Rocky will pass the powers on to somebody willing to hold them for a while. When he returns to full health, he will have the choice of either resuming his role as Blue Ranger or retiring from service."

"I fail to see a difference."

"But there is one," Zordon pointed out. "The Council cannot interfere in this matter."

All pretence of polite conversation was gone now as the Councillor allowed his anger to show. "You will regret this Zordon," he warned. "I will have your job for this."

"Indeed you might," Zordon said as the communication ended. "But that doesn't mean you'll be running things your way. Alpha, set the Power Chamber to Lockdown Stage One-"

"Ai-yi-yi, yes Zordon."

"-and then contact Rocky. I regret the timing, but he must be told."

* * *

Angel Grove Hospital

It was night time before the Rangers had the opportunity to visit their friend. The news from the doctors was good and he had spent the afternoon listening to his mother as she tried to decide whether to be happy that he was okay or angry that he had been foolish enough to fight monsters in the park. In the end she had settled for hugging her son and repeating how much she loved him.

When she had left, he had fallen asleep. Ranger Healing was effective, but it took a great deal of energy. That coupled with the drugs the nurses had given him had left him tired.

He didn't notice the door handle move slowly as the door opened slightly. If he had, he would have seen Justin peek into the room. He suddenly turned to look back as he heard footsteps approaching the room. Thinking quickly, Justin rushed into the room and hid under the bed as the other four Zeo Rangers entered.

Rocky opened his eyes. "Hey ... I heard we won the game."

Tommy smiled. "Yeah we did man." He sobered as he looked down at his injured friend. "You were really lucky, Rock. You scared the hell out of us."

"The doctor said you're gonna make a full recovery," Tanya told him.

"Yeah well I had a little help there. Thanks for dropping this over Adam." He passed the Green Ranger the healing device he had dropped off during the game. "I'm going to be as good as new, but not in time for the competition. You guys are gonna have to do it without me. The kids' shelter is counting on that prize money to stay open."

"We'll let Alpha and Zordon know," Kat started before looking at Tommy. There was an uncomfortable silence before he sighed.

"Look Rocky..."

* * *

Power Chamber

The computers had locked onto a disturbance. Actually they had detected the alien as soon as it arrived on the planet, but with the satellite network limited following Minion's attack, it took longer to scan the entire planet.

"Ay yi yi! ... Zordon?" He looked up at the giant tube only to find that Zordon was not inside. He tried again. "Zordon?", and was rewarded when Zordon reappeared. "Hee hee hee ... Another Power Nap?" he asked, his cheek covering his concern.

"No, Alpha. I apologise for worrying you. I had to reconfirm the information. Your suspicions were correct, the energy signature matches Lerigot."

"Great!" Alpha sighed, "The Wizard of Liaria is dropping in for a visit, it took us ten months to get the fur out of the furniture last time!"

"This is not good news," Zordon told him. "Lerigot knows the consequences to his life force by coming in such close proximity to the sun. It must be an emergency. Alert the Power Rangers!"

"Will do ... Ay-yi-yi!"

* * *

At the hospital the Rangers had filled Rocky in on the need to transfer his powers and the consequences of not doing so. Rocky had agreed and together they had tried to decide on whom his successor should be.

Justin had remained out of sight the entire time, but had heard everything said. His mind was churning as he heard another noise.

"You think Zordon can read our minds?" Adam asked. He had been about to call the White

Master.

"Probably," Tommy replied before touching his communicator. "We read you, Alpha."

"Rangers, report to the Power Chamber at once."

For Justin that was confirmation of the conversation he had been listening to.

"Go for it," Rocky told the others when they looked to him for confirmation.

"We'll let you know what's up," Adam promised as the others smiled.

They teleported out and Justin took the opportunity to get away. In doing so he jerked up and bumped his head. "Ow!"

"Who's there?" Rocky demanded.

Knowing he had been caught, Justin crawled out from under the bed. He wanted to say "sorry for spying", or perhaps explain why he was under the bed. Instead he asked, "You guys are the Power Rangers?"

For once Rocky was lost for words.

**To be Continued **


	22. New Arrivals

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any other show. No profit is being made from this piece of fanfiction. The next few chapters will borrow heavily from Turbo: A Power Ranger Movie.

Author's Note: Some events in this chapter follow on from those Lerigot's Greatest Trick.

New Arrivals

Power Chamber

The four Rangers arrived.

"Welcome, Rangers ... There is much to discuss," Zordon rumbled.

The four exchanged looks. This didn't sound good.

* * *

Klatos Seven

As her underlings scurried about the decks of the Subcraft, Divatox, seated upon her throne, was staring at Elgar as her imbecilic nephew continued to pollute the air with his stupidity.

"So Lerigot's slipped the noose and landed on Earth ... so, we might as well get back to pillaging and looting again ..."

Divatox's grip on her throne tightened as she leaned forward. Although she wasn't quite shouting, it was clear that Elgar had annoyed her. "I'm tired of petty thievery, Elgar! Whoever heard of a famous pirate? I want to be a queen."

She started to pace intently, causing Elgar to feel giddy as he watched her stomp up and down.

"Lerigot holds the only key to free Maligore, the great flame of destruction and ... my husband to be! If we wed, I'll be the Queen of Evil; people will bring their riches to me and beg me to take them."

"What if your fiancé isn't too hot on the idea? It's not like you've seen him in the last century. And let's face it, you ain't gettin' any younger!"

Divatox put her hand to her face and then glared at Elgar. The mutant had the good sense to try to talk his way out of things although it really only made things worse.

"Hey relax, they're doing miracles with laser surgery ..."

"Shut up fool!" Rygog warned, sensing that Elgar was about to feel his aunt's wrath. "We must assure a successful reunion with Maligore."

"We need a bridal dowry. On Earth, you Elgar, will head the capture of two humans of purity and strength."

Rygog remained silent although he was secretly wondering whether Elgar understood the meaning of purity or strength.

"Enough! Activate the barrier shields and set a course to Earth ... We're going after Lerigot!"

"Hey, Auntie Divatox... Can we stop off and raid that Catalina place on our way? Pleeeeeeease!"

She shot him another glare, he swallowed and joined the others, working to get the ship operational. Outside the craft, the sand started to billow as the engines rumbled to life, groaning as they started the ship moving off from the lake bed. The Subcraft shot from the lake in a whirling of lights and into the sky, leaving a plume of phosphorescent radiance in its wake. Its rumble echoed into the night.

* * *

Power Chamber

After learning about Lerigot, the Rangers had prepared for a rescue mission. While Tommy and Kat had retrieved two of the special Power Boxes and had placed them on their backs, Tanya was seated in front of a computer screen while Adam accessed a nearby monitor.

"Whatever this thing is, it's moving pretty fast towards Earth, Zordon. Adam and I better stay here."

" Good call," Tommy agreed.

"Yes, a wise decision, Tanya," Zordon commended.

"Maybe we should ask Trey to take a look in Pyramidas," Tommy suggested.

"I believe by that time we will know its intentions," Zordon replied.

"There you go, Kat," Alpha said. "Power Boxes are equipped with just about anything you might need in case of an emergency."

"Thank Alpha. Make sure and let Rocky know what's happening."

"Tommy, you better take this," Adam said as he walked over to Tommy and handed him a Turbo Navigator. "It's programmed to home in on Lerigot's life force."

"Send my love to Africa," Tanya told them.

Tommy and Kat moved to the center of the Chamber, took a look at the map and following a quick, "later, guys", teleported out.

* * *

Africa

For Lerigot, time was running out. While it was night time in Angel Grove, in Africa it was daytime, and he was weak from the harsh sun, but somehow managed to enter a clearing with a circle of trees that offered some protection from the sun. He trilled uncertainly and was surprised when it echoed back to him in perfect mimicry. Suddenly on guard, he looked up.

Within the tree tops, families of monkeys peered back at him curiously. A young monkey snatched a branch and threw it toward him. A bevy of monkeys leapt from the trees, but instead of reacting and possibly scaring them, Lerigot stood perfectly still, smiling at them. They surrounded him as the head monkey cautiously touched Lerigot's robe and jumped back. He chattered nervously to the others as Lerigot pulled out the Golden Key.

"Alpha?"

He didn't get the response he wanted. Instead the monkeys moved forward and started to groom him. He tried again.

"Alpha?"

The head monkey scratched his head as he looked at the key and then back to Lerigot. He took Lerigot by the hand and began to lead him away. The other monkeys followed.

* * *

Tommy and Kat walked through the dense jungle. Tommy used a machete to clear a path.

"Wow ... Reminds me of parts of Australia," Kat commented.

The Turbo Navigator beeped faintly, causing them to pause while Tommy studied it.

"The signal's coming from that direction. Let's go and find him."

The two continued their slog through the heavy foliage.

* * *

Power Chamber

An alarm sounded loudly, causing Alpha to rush over to where Tanya was working the computer. Adam moved to another monitor.

"That thing we've been tracking just passed Mars and is heading straight toward the Earth! It looks like there's some sort of shield protecting its identity," she said.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Adam remarked. "I hope Tommy and Kat make it back soon."

* * *

Africa

Tommy and Kat trekked through the jungle. Their clothes were soaked with sweat and covered in grime. When they come upon a clearing, Kat sat on a log to tighten her laces.

"Just a sec, I'm all undone here ... This heat's pretty intense."

Tommy, ever the gallant gentleman, knelt down and pulls a cord on his Power Box. A bottle of water popped out.

"Lerigot's signal's getting stronger," he remarked.

Kat swatted at a mosquito as Tommy opened his water bottle and took a swig. He froze in mid-swallow when he saw a Boa Constrictor trailing its way down from a tree, dangling above Kat's shoulder. Tommy swallowed carefully.

"Kat, don't move. On the count of three, dive to your right. One, two, three!"

Kat dove, just as the snake struck. Tommy lunged, grabbed the snake by the back of the head, and wrestled the giant reptile. Kat stepped back as the ground gave way, pitching her down a steep hill.

"Tommy!"

Tommy grappled with the snake, which coiled around him. He turned to see Kat as she approached a steep drop off. She hit a rock, flipped in the air, and over a cliff.

"Kat!"

Kat grabbed a protruding branch and looked down at a four hundred-foot drop off over a churning river. There was a loud crack as the branch started to give way. Tommy struggled as the snake tightened its grip. He turned to where Kat was hanging on for dear life.

"Morph, Kat! ... Do it!"

Kat tried to reach her Zeoniser but to no avail. Then the branch broke, sending Kat plummeting down. In mid air, Kat managed to grab her Zeoniser.

"Zeo Ranger I - Pink!"

* * *

Power Chamber

It had been residing deep with the processing core of the Power Chamber's computer since Cyber Agent had planted it. A small batch of computer code intended to disrupt the Rangers at the opportune moment. The call from Gasket had never been received and it had remained a dormant process in the Power Chamber's operating system. Until now.

It was purely coincidental that the timeout Gasket had set expired just as Kat was calling forth her powers. The virus program came online, causing as much damage as possible before the Power Chamber's advanced protections zeroed in and erased the foreign code from its systems.

It was enough to cause a temporary close down of all systems as to prevent the virus from spreading. It meant that Kat's call for her powers was delayed, costing her vital seconds. Then with the virus destroyed, the computer retuned to normal function.

* * *

Africa

After what seemed an eternity, Kat started to morph but the transformation only reached her knees when she hit the water hard. She struggled to maintain consciousness as the impact disrupted the transformation, leaving her demorphed. The current swept her downstream.

* * *

"Kat!"

Tommy used his concern for Kat to give him an extra surge of strength, allowing him to free himself from the snake before charging downhill. He reached the edge and dived into the river. Aided by the current he swam towards Kat as she was washed down-river. Despite the strong current, Kat stayed ahead of him and he only caught glimpses of her. Still he was able to take advantage of the fact he could consciously change his position in the river, allowing him to select a place where the water was flowing at its fastest. Eventually he was able to reach Kat and pulled a cord on her Power Box, inflating the built-in life preserver.

He breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived as a giant crocodile entered the water from the far bank. Tommy struggled hard and manages to get Kat to shore only to be jerked back roughly. Beneath the surface a huge pair of jaws had latched onto Tommy's Power Box. Tommy kicked out and managed to dislodge the jaws. He dove under and right into the face of the huge crocodile. Tommy grabbed the crocodile in an upside down bear hug pushing its jaw back with his feet. The crocodile's tail slashed the surface as Tommy emerged for air and manoeuvred the crocodile into a shallow part of water.

Kat regained her bearings, tried to stand and screamed as her leg gave way. Tommy seized a large branch floating nearby, and lodged it into the crocodile's jaws. The crocodile flailed angrily, giving Tommy time to swim to shore before managing to spit the branch out. It chased after Tommy.

"Look out!" Kat cried. She pushed a button on her Power Box and a small blow torch snapped out. She grabbed it and aimed at the crocodile. A flame shots out, scaring it away as Tommy rushed to her side.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Just my leg," she winced.

"We'd better teleport back," Tommy decided.

"No!" Kat said defiantly. "We're too close ... There's a first aid kit in the Power Box, we can make a splint."

At that moment the Turbo Navigator shrieked loudly.

"Lerigot's close ... Let's take a look at that leg."

Tommy opened his Power Box and removes a first aid kit.

* * *

Space

A loud 'ping' could be heard from the speaker.

"Uh oh," Elgar said. "Auntie D, we've been spotted."

"It must be Zordon," Rygog supplied.

Divatox grimaced. "Well so much for sneaking past without him noticing. Full speed ahead boys, I haven't come this far to turn back now."

* * *

Africa

The two teens chopped their way through the jungle, following the signal on their scanner. Finally they found their way to a clearing where they saw a being that matched the description of Lerigot.

"Alpha?" Lerigot asked weakly.

Tommy walked slowly toward the Liarian. He didn't want to scare the wizard more than necessary.

"Yes ... Alpha ... we're here to take you to Alpha," he promised.

Lerigot turned to the monkeys and touched them, trilling as he hugged the lead monkey before taking Tommy's hand. Lerigot shuffled toward Kat and looked up into her eyes, assessing her with his penetrating gaze.

"Hello," Kat said nervously.

"Hello ..." Lerigot mimicked as he ran his hand over her injured leg. A glow surged from his fingertips. Lerigot let go and stepped back, allowing Kat to stand.

"He fixed my leg! Thanks Lerigot."

Lerigot smiled weakly.

"Le ... ri ... got."

"Let's get him out of here," Tommy suggested as Lerigot started to quiver. He looked up to the sun and collapsed in a faint. Tommy caught him as Kat placed her hand on Lerigot's chest, and spoke into her communicator.

"Alpha, we've got Lerigot. Standing by for teleportation."

"Just in time Rangers!" Alpha replied. The next voice they heard was Adam's.

"That ship we've been following has just entered the atmosphere and is heading for Angel Grove."

Not wasting any time, Tommy and Kat both grabbed hold of the unconscious Lerigot. They smiled faintly at the monkeys as they teleported out.

* * *

Angel Grove Beach

The small boat bobbed up and down on the water as the two party animals downed another can of beer. This was their weekly fishing trip and nothing would stop them from enjoying it. Except perhaps the large spaceship that crossed overhead, bathing the two with scalding light. They looked up, screaming in fear.

In a phenomenal display of thundering lights and jets, the Subcraft submerged into the water, creating huge waves that rocked the boat, tipping its occupants into the water where they remained unmoving until they drowned.

* * *

Power Chamber

After Lerigot had been rescued, there was little the Rangers could do until he recovered. The mysterious ship had landed somewhere, but its location was unknown. So with little else to do the Rangers had retired to their homes for the night, promising to return the next day and hopefully make sense of the matter.

* * *

Divatox's Subcraft

Chaos reigned as Divatox tried to direct the flurry of movement around her.

"Set up base camp and make sure the aqua energizer is functioning!"

Things were not going as she had foreseen. The Subcraft was old and a bit sensitive. Flying through space had caused some problems. A point that was proven as steam shot out from one of the panels where Rygog stood.

"We're losing our barrier shields due to the force of our entry!" the mutant told her.

"Don't you dare let them fall," she warned. "We can't be detected! Get those shields repaired at once. Elgar!" Elgar stepped out from behind Divatox, startling her in the process. "Don't do that! Go and find me two humans who are pure body and mind." She shuddered at the thought. "We'll need them as sacrifices."

* * *

Power Chamber

A series of strange images flashed across the computer screen. They were known vessel types, which the computer compared to the energy signature of their mystery vessel. When it finally confirmed a match, an alarm sounded, drawing Adam's attention. At the same moment Tanya's scan was completed.

"Yes! Whatever that thing is, I found it. It's at the bottom of the ocean!"

"Good work Tanya," Zordon rumbled.

"The computer has identified the vessel," Adam added.

"I will check the Galactic Registry and identify the owner," Alpha offered.

"Meanwhile we need to have a look and see what they're up to," Jason decided. With Tommy and Kat visiting Rocky, he was acting as leader.

"Perhaps I can facilitate that," Billy said. "Alpha, rollout the Aqua Power Suits!"

" Right, Billy!"

Alpha pushed a lever, causing a wall to slide away, revealing four armoured suits that split down the middle and peeled back. Adam and Tanya stepped forward and backed into their suits. Jason and Kimberly followed, stating that they were both trained as scuba divers. The suits closed, starting with the feet as metal plates snapped into place. The face shields concealed half of their faces, although Billy had installed a shield to prevent civilians from learning their identities. Each of them had a jet pack on their backs.

"Rangers, act with caution until we are able to establish of what intent this new visitor brings."

"We will Zordon," Adam promised.

In a blur of colour the four Rangers teleported away.

* * *

The four Rangers arrived on the shores of the beach and started to move toward the water. They stopped when Tanya caught their attention and pointed.

"Guys, that way!"

The Rangers ran into the water and enter. They vanished under the waves and swam through the water. Whatever was hiding there had not affected the abundance of marine life. Adam used a miniature radar screen to trace the unknown ship. He touched a button on his helmet.

"Radar shows the craft up ahead."

"We've gotta move on it!" Tanya answered.

"Jet power - activate!" Jason commanded.

The Rangers activated their jet packs and zoomed through the water. They paused briefly to observe the ship when suddenly, a large hand reached from around the reef latching onto Jason. The others turned to encounter five huge warriors. The four heroes fought valiantly against the warriors.

* * *

Divatox was less than happy when the proximity alarm sounded. She used the periscope to watch the Rangers as they struggled with her forces.

"Rygog, who are those interlopers?" she asked.

Rygog peered through the periscope, thought for a while and then answered.

"Hmm ... They must be some of those power teenagers Zordon controls."

"Ha! ... Zordon, ... what a bore! Well ... His little Power peons are in for quite a shock!" Divatox said as she pushed a button.

* * *

The hatch of the ship jolted open and a bolt of electrical energy was pushed through the water, sending the Rangers crashing back into a rock formation as the beings they were fighting pressed their attack. A warrior pulled out a stun laser and blasted Kimberly and Jason. Others closed in on Adam and Tanya, but not before he managed to lift his hand to his helmet.

"Alpha ... teleport ... now ..." Adam called.

The four Rangers started to teleport just as a second burst of energy ripped through the water, the extreme current causing the Rangers suits to explode as Alpha desperately tried to teleport them to safety.

* * *

The water boiled as the energy wave struck the Rangers as they attempted to teleport. Adam and Tanya were lucky, they managed to release their underwater suits before they overloaded, allowing Alpha to lock on and teleport them. Jason and Kimberly were just a fraction slower to react, and a little too close to the ship. The blast hit them full on, destroying their suits and preventing Alpha from retrieving them. Their communicators malfunctioned, preventing them from escaping as a wire net closed around them.

"We got two of them!" Elgar proclaimed as the warriors dragged Jason and Kimberly inside. They were stripped of the remains or their armour, which was promptly sent to the ship's scientist while Divatox appraised their prisoners. Elgar moved to join Rygog behind the throne, not liking the look on his aunt's face. A warrior moved a scanner on top of the two and it buzzed, confirming they were still alive.

"Well that made things easier, we've captured two humans of sickening purity, perfect for sacrificing to Maligore! And to think I was going to send Elgar hunting. Rygog, deposit them into the bilge!"

Rygog moved to the control panel and pulled a lever. A panel in the wall slid open and the two Rangers were sucked through a tube and vanished as the panel slid shut. The bilge was specially made for holding prisoners, especially those that happened to be Rangers. The walls were made from Cold Iron, the element known to block magic, preventing them from morphing.

"Zordon and his brats could prove a problem. We'll just need to get there ahead of them."

* * *

Power Chamber

Things were not going well for the Rangers. Not only had they failed to identify the ship, two of their number been captured by the unidentified forces.

"And I thought things were bad when we just had an injured friend, unconscious wizard and missing friends to worry about," Tanya moaned.

The four Zeo Rangers gathered around Lerigot who slept upon a table. A myriad of tubes were connected to his body, replenishing much needed body fluids, while Alpha ran a small device over him.

"Is he going to be all right?" Kat asked.

"He is severely dehydrated," Alpha replied. "The fluids will restore his life force for now."

"Guess he had a pretty close call," Tanya said.

"So did we," Adam reminded her. "We've gotta do something to get Jason and Kimberly back."

Lerigot twitched violently, his eyes rolling back.

"What's happening?" Tommy demanded as he moved to steady the wizard.

"Tommy, wait ... He is receiving a telepathic transmission!" Alpha warned

Lerigot screamed and flailed about.

"Alpha, attach the cranial transmission scanner and connect into the Viewing Screen!" Zordon ordered.

Alpha moved to obey and while Billy opened the panel on the Viewing Screen, he placed a clear dome over Lerigot's head. Working together they twisted the wires into one long cord that Alpha was able to connect to the Viewing Screen's input.

"Tuning now Zordon." Alpha twisted the dial until Divatox's appeared before them. It was clear that she had no idea who she was looking at.

"Divatox ..." Zordon said, recognising the villain. Her appearance on the Viewing Screen answered many of his questions.

"Ai-yi-yi!"

"Zordon, I know you can hear me. So, listen well. Lerigot must surrender."

Lerigot writhed on the table. The method of contact she had chosen was not a pleasant experience for the wizard. His distress increased as Divatox moved aside, allowing those watching to see Yara and Bethel, Lerigot's wife and child. Bethel was wearing a metal skull cap. Yara trilled frantically, as two rays of light burst from her eyes.

"Say hello to Lerigot's family, Yara and Bethel. Amazing what telepathic transmissions can do these days..."

Lerigot's eyes suddenly opened and he screamed incessantly.

"Make it stop, it's hurting him!"

Divatox didn't hear her. "Raven's Cove at midnight. Bring him to me and as a small token of my appreciation, I'll relinquish a couple of humans you left lying around down here!"

The image changed again as it fed the image directly from the bilge where Jason and Kimberly had been relieved of their power suits and were wearing only wetsuits.

"Kimberly ... Jason!"

The image faded as a metal skull cap was placed on Yara's head.

* * *

Divatox's Subcraft

The two former Rangers had awakened to find themselves in the Subcraft's bilge. After discovering that something was preventing them from morphing, they examined the walls, hoping they would find a way out. Already there was a half inch of water covering the floor and a glimpse through a small port hole showed filtered light through the water outside.

"Kim... we're in major trouble here."

"Kimberly didn't answer, she was distracted by the long and slimy thing that slithered toward her through the water. It was some sort of leech, and as it crawled over her foot, Kimberly screamed.

"Get it off me!"

"Hold still!" Jason ordered.

He grabbed a piece of shrapnel and plucked the leech up.

"I think we're in trouble," he decided as he saw more leeches move in their direction.

* * *

Power Chamber

The Rangers and Zordon observed as Alpha and Lerigot talked. Lerigot was waving his arms, trilling pleadingly. Alpha lay his hands on Lerigot's shoulders, shake his head and trilling back. Kat turned to Zordon.

"What is it Divatox wants from Lerigot, Zordon?"

"Many centuries ago, Lerigot exiled a profoundly vile being called Maligore upon the lost island of Muiranthias. Through the generations, Lerigot has guarded the golden key which opens the gateway to the island and to Maligore's freedom."

"Muiranthias? Across the Nemesis Triangle? Isn't that a myth?" Adam asked.

"No, Adam. Once upon the island, Divatox seeks to rejoin forces with Maligore and become his bride of evil."

"Great," Tommy groused. "And then what?"

"Divatox is a pirate, Tommy. She is considered one of the worst of her kind, surpassed only because she does not indulge in the preferred vices of her family, such as slavery and weapon selling. Nothing in the universe will be safe if she succeeds, because for Divatox there would be no limit to her greed."

"Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi!" Alpha exclaimed, causing the Rangers to turn toward him. "It's no use Rangers, I've tried convincing him, but Lerigot insists upon giving himself up."

"Why won't he listen to reason?" Kat asked.

"Love," Aisha answered. "He'd give himself up for his family. Wouldn't you?"

"This is a no win situation!" Zack complained.

"Okay, listen," Tommy said. "We get Kim and Jason outta there. And then we go after Divatox."

"I just hope they're okay," Trini said. "Time's running out guys."

Indeed it was. The meeting with Divatox was not far away and if the scans they had completed so far were accurate, then the energy field created by the cloud over the city would prevent them from going anywhere other than Raven Cove.

"She's managed to hide herself from our scanners," Adam said. "The only choice is to follow her instructions."

That had made sense and more importantly, they needed keep hold of Lerigot.

The Rangers turned to as a loud noise filled the Power Chamber. The Liarian was rocking to and fro, mournful keening sound emerging from his lips.

"The Liarian prayer of guidance," Alpha told them. "Lerigot is preparing for surrender."

Unfortunately even the most stubborn Ranger had to admit that they didn't have a choice.

* * *

Raven's Cove

The four Rangers and Lerigot teleported upon the rugged rocks that surrounded the sinister looking cove. They stared at the sea fifteen feet below. The ground began to shake thunderously and Kat held onto Lerigot protectively.

"Right on schedule," Tommy remarked as Divatox's Subcraft moved out from behind a rock formation. A hatch squealed open and an odd raft propelled by a motor was shoved out. A warrior steered the raft while Elgar sat up front. More warriors on jet skis shot out and surrounded it. Within the raft, two figures in scuba gear lay motionless.

"There they are!" Tanya cried.

The raft approached as its mechanical noises echoed throughout the cove. Elgar smiled slyly.

* * *

"There's the little worm now!" Divatox cried as her periscope zeroed in on the raft, the Rangers, and most importantly, Lerigot.

"Now we just need this little plan to work," Rygog rumbled.

"Trust me Rygog," she replied. "One thing I can guarantee about good guys: their hearts override their minds."

"You had better be right," he muttered.

* * *

The warrior cut the motor as Elgar looked up to the rocks.

"Send Lerigot down!" he ordered.

Tommy, refused. They weren't falling for that. "No, bring our friends closer first!"

Elgar gave an ugly laugh. "I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice, human! This is as close as you get! Send the wizard down!"

"I don't like it," Adam said.

The others nodded. There was too much chance that they would be double-crossed. Unfortunately it seemed that Lerigot had other ideas and when the Rangers turned back to him, the wizard was gone.

"He's gone! Lerigot's gone!" she cried, drawing the others' attention to their new problem.

Suddenly, Lerigot appeared in the raft. He gently waved at the Rangers as Elgar hauled him roughly to his knees. Kat rushed forward.

"Stop it! Don't hurt him!"

"All right! You have what you came for," Tommy called across. "Release our friends!"

"You want em ... You got em!" Elgar said as he stood and kicked the two bodies into the water where they bobbed for a moment and then began to sink. "Arive derchi turkeys! ... Hit it!"

Elgar laughed as the raft sped away, leaving the platoon of warriors on jet skies behind to watch the Rangers. The Rangers paid them no mind and dove into the water, swimming frantically toward their friends. The raft reached the Subcraft and vanished inside. The Subcraft began to submerge creating violent jets of choppy water. The Rangers struggled against the wake as Tommy dived.

Tommy grabbed hold and hoisted the smaller scuba suit upwards. Moments later Kat grabbed the other suit as Tommy emerged and together they dragged the bodies onto dry land.

"Kim?" Tommy asked.

He ripped off the face mask revealing the cold face of one of Divatox's warriors staring at him maliciously. It cried out and kicked him in the lower body. Even though he was partially morphed, the blow hurt. Before the others could grab it, it disappeared, drawing their attention back to the retreating Elgar.

"No!" Tommy cried, realising what was happening. "Stop them!"

The other Rangers caught up with Tommy and Adam grabbed him.

"They're gone, Tommy."

Tommy leaned his head back in despair but not before he heard Adam ask, "is it working?".

* * *

Divatox's Subcraft

"At last!" Divatox cried, holding up Lerigot's Golden Key and his pouch of magical powder as Lerigot, wearing a metal skull cap, was thrown into a cage. "You've cost me a great deal of time you little fur ball," she told his as she slammed the door shut in his face. "If this key would work for me, I'd have fired you out of the torpedo tubes already. Instead I'll have to keep you around." She moved so that her face was directly next to the cage door. "I need you, but your family are just excess baggage. Remember that!"

Lerigot looked back mournfully. He had hoped that things would turn out differently, but had known deep down that this was the most likely outcome.

"We'll pass through the Nemesis Triangle in less than forty-eight hours," Rygog reported, interrupting the pirate's threats. "Muiranthias lies on the other side."

* * *

Inside the bilge, Kimberly was standing on Jason's shoulders, straining to hear what was being said. They were dressed in shorts and T-shirts that Divatox had found somewhere. It made them sick to think that for a time she had considered keeping them naked for her entertainment.

"Maligore's appetite will ignite once he sees the offerings I've brought him," she heard her say. The evil laughter faded away as Kimberly jumped down.

"This is so lame," she complained. "We go to investigate an alien space craft and end up being abducted. Now we're in this floating outhouse on the way to someplace called Muiranthias."

"If we had our powers, we could break out of here," Jason said.

"Yeah, but we don't," Kimberly retorted, effectively ending the conversation. "I don't suppose we could call maid service."

* * *

Power Chamber

"Bingo!" came the slightly muffled cry as Zack watched the monitor light up. "Tracking device is working."

"Excellent work Rangers," Zordon commended. "The increased power of the transmitter will allow us to follow the Subcraft. Although we have lost Lerigot we can still prevent Divatox from freeing Maligore."

"That might not be so easy Zordon," Billy warned. "That purple cloud is creating an energy field that we cannot teleport through. Unless we ascertain a method of breaking through that barrier, we won't be able to catch up."

"I don't suppose we could use the Zords?"

"No Tommy," Zordon replied. "The Nemesis Triangle allows only the powers of Lerigot's Golden Key to work within its confines. Once inside the Zords would be rendered powerless and could be destroyed by the forces with the Triangle."

"The force of the triangle has mangled many power sources," Alpha informed them. "Your Zeo Zords are not equipped to deal with this phenomenon."

"Besides, I've been conducting an analysis of Tommy and Kat's activities in Africa and can only conclude that the Zeo powers have been compromised. It might be they are no longer reliable enough to use." As he spoke, Billy was looking at the results of yet another virus check. Although the powers came from the Zeo Crystal, they relied on the apparatus surrounding it to function properly. He looked up at Zordon for confirmation before continuing. "I have been able to establish a way to create a new generation of Zords capable of surviving within the Nemesis Triangle."

"Indeed," Zordon interrupted, "Working together Trini and Billy have, with Alpha's assistance, completed the schematics; while these new Zords may be of ordinary appearances, they possess a capability and power that will carry you through this quest."

"We'll still need to configure them," Billy said. "Only you guys can do that."

"Why us?" Tommy asked.

"Because you're the ones that will be going after her," the young genius told him. "You're the active team, we're just here to hold the fort."

"Divatox believes that she has escaped," Zordon told them. "However it will take another forty-eight hours for her Subcraft to make the journey. Once completed, your Zords will allow you to catch up."

Tommy finally nodded. "Let's get to work then."

**To be continued **


	23. The Perilous Voyage

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any other show. No profit is being made from this piece of fanfiction. The next few chapters will borrow heavily from Turbo: A Power Ranger Movie.

Author's Note: Some events in this chapter follow on from those Lerigot's Greatest Trick.

The Perilous Voyage

Divatox's Subcraft

Yara and Bethel were not doing so well. The Subcraft's journey to Earth meant that they had been exposed to the sun for longer than Lerigot who had only spent a few hours in the heat. Added to that, Lerigot had been given fluids to help his body cope with the environment; Yara and Bethel had been lucky if they had been spared any water at all. They lay within a hidden chamber breathing unevenly while Divatox on her throne focussed her attention on the cage was Lerigot was being held.

"Listen Lerigot! You cooperate with me and I will let you view your family from time to time. As you can see, they're still alive... barely."

She switched the lever on the arm of her throne and the panel slid shut.

Had he not been severely weakened, Lerigot would have fought his way to his family. In his current condition all he could do, was gaze longingly toward the spot where his family's image was position. Placing his head in his hands, he moaned as he tried to wrench the skull cap from his head. A jolt of electricity knocked him back.

* * *

Jason bent over as he honed the edges of a crude looking weapon he'd built with a piece of shrapnel. He put down his weapon and gazed about the room. His eyes fell upon Kimberly, crouched by the wall working on her own weapon.

"Move away from the wall," he told her.

She did so, revealing two rows of bolts that formed a small door. Jason knelt down and placed his hands along the panel. He rolled back on his heels and stared at the panel.

"What's up, Jason?"

"Instead of making weapons ... We need to concentrate on opening this panel."

Kimberly did not appear very confident that that was the correct course of action. "Okay, I'm no rocket scientist, but wouldn't that like... let the water in?"

Jason looked down at the large watch on his wrist. He had picked it up at the Peace Conference, and in addition to telling the time, it also featured a compass and depth gauge. At the push of a dial he discovered they were four hundred and thirty-five feet down.

"Okay listen, ... According to the depth gauge on my watch, we're travelling at four hundred and thirty-five feet below the surface ... as we approach Muiranthias the submarine will start climbing upwards. Once we reach a hundred feet we open the panel and let the water in."

"And make it up on one breath?"

"It's our only chance," Jason reasoned.

* * *

Power Chamber

The monitor flickered as an amazing pattern of the five Ranger colours swirled and then vanished into a ball of light. A strange alarm sounded and then changed to a long, flat tone.

"The installation of the generators is completed Zordon," Alpha said.

"Excellent Alpha!" Zordon rumbled. "Rangers, prepare to behold the results of your hard work: the Turbo Zords!"

Morphin Rangers and Zeo Rangers alike turned as a large wall on the far side of the Power Chamber slid open. There was nothing but darkness with an occasional flash of a strobe light. A mist began to creep from the opening as Alpha decided to make the occasion extra special, by turning on the dry ice machine he had been looking to develop into a freeze ray.

Within the vast darkness, five pairs of headlights lit up. The sound of engines roaring to life filled the chamber. At that moment, the darkness transformed into a spectacular kaleidoscope of lights. The Rangers gasped in awe as the five Turbo Zords moved forward in perfect formation.

"They're ordinary cars?" Tanya asked. She sounded disappointed at the oversized but commonplace vehicles.

"No Tanya, they are extraordinary cars!" Zordon told her firmly, "Vehicles equipped with the power and velocity of Turbo technology, using all applicable data gathered from previous Zords and the technology from Nate's powers. With the power of Zeo compromised, this is the next evolution in the war against evil. When merged they will form the Turbo Megazord."

The Zords flickered, growing smaller and resembling normal sized cars.

"To allow them to move more swiftly, we have given them the ability to reduce in size until required. These Turbo Vehicles are capable of incredible speed. We have coordinated them with your Ranger powers. Adam, Desert Thunder will be yours to command. Kat, behold Wind Chaser. Tanya, Dune Star is your Turbo Zord. And Tommy, Red Lightning will serve you well."

The cars moved closer, seeming under their own command. The Rangers didn't move a muscle though and right before the vehicles hit them, four of the machines vanished. Only the Blue Turbo Zord remained, still idling.

"What about Rocky's Zord?" Adam asked.

"The Mountain Blaster will stay behind for now," Zordon told them.

Alpha chose that moment to continue the briefing. "Remember, Rangers. Once within the Nemesis Triangle, all communications with the Power Chamber will be rendered inactive."

He pushed a button and the Mountain Blaster vanished and within the dark void, five key-like devices in Ranger colours twirled in a vortex of coloured brilliance. Orbiting around them were five coloured devices that the Rangers could guess were morphers.

"The devices before you were built by Lerigot before he was forced to flee his home world," Zordon explained. "Before he left, he entrusted them to me, knowing that we could use them to stop Divatox. With Alpha's assistance they have been configured to work with the generators within the Turbo Zords. These are your new Turbo Keys and Turbo Morphers."

"Does that mean we can get going?" Tommy asked.

"Affirmative," Billy answered. "By utilising the Turbo powers you will be able to penetrate the Nemesis Triangle."

* * *

Divatox's Subcraft

"Rygog, no sign of Zordon's Power Pack?" Divatox asked as the mutant watched the radar. While waiting for an answer she lovingly cradled her eel creature in her arms.

"The radar shows nothing unusual in pursuit," Rygog replied.

Divatox squealed in delight and kissed the top of her creature's head. "Excellent. Nothing must stop this wedding! Now Elgar, did you get that lawyer to draw up the prenuptial agreement?"

"Sure thing Auntie Divatox. Everything that is yours remains yours. And everything that is his becomes yours as well."

"That sound fair to me. I feel like celebrating. Is that lawyer still here?"

"All loaded up an' ready to go," Elgar told her.

"Rygog, fire the torpedoes!" She could hear the terrified scream as the weasel-like creature she had hired to write her documents was sent hurtling into the hemisphere. "That was fun. Rygog, make a note: the first thing we do on my honeymoon is find a new lawyer."

* * *

Power Chamber

The Zeo Rangers removed their Zeonisers, moved toward the panel and stepped into the vortex. Their hair whipped back as they claimed their individual Keys and Morphers. The vortex raged into a roaring frenzy as the Rangers' forms melded into a blur of colour and light. Suddenly there was silence. The glow of light dissipated as the four Rangers turned, resplendent in their new Ranger uniforms. They moved out into the Power Chamber, leaving the Blue Turbo Key and Morpher to orbit forlornly.

"Quickly Alpha, inform Trey to prepare Pyramidas to act as a channel for the Zeo Crystal's energy. As soon as the breach has been made Tommy, you and your fellow Turbo Rangers must teleport to the Valerian Desert. We will teleport your Turbo Zords there separately. "The Valerian Desert's magnetic forces will interfere with any of Divatox's detection devices."

Alpha continued. "You must then follow the river in the Digathian Forest until you reach the Ghost Galleon."

"The old phantom ship's protective barriers, once fuelled by the power of your Turbo Keys, will set a course through the triangle and see you to Muiranthias in safety."

Red Turbo handed an envelope to his twin.

"Will you deliver this to Coach Daniels? In case we don't make it back, he needs to send in the second team."

David nodded and took the envelope.

"The safety of the Universe depends upon all of you now ..." Zordon said solemnly.

"Ai-yi-yi, I miss you already Rangers. Please be careful!"

"You guys be careful," Red Turbo told those that were staying behind. "May the Power protect us."

* * *

Divatox's Subcraft

Kimberly and Jason worked feverishly on loosening the bolts. Kimberly noticed that her fingers were bleeding profusely.

"My manicurist is going to kill me," she remarked.

Jason noticed the injury, tore a strip from his tank top and tied them for her.

"Kim, why didn't you say something?" he asked.

He had been so desperate to escape that he had failed to observe the possible dangers of their plan. He was just glad he was locked in with Kimberly and not Billy, whose claustrophobia would have made it terribly uncomfortable stuck inside the confines of the bilge.

She shrugged. "I'm no weenie."

Jason noticed the sad tone in Kimberly's voice.

"Come on, we've got three already," he urged.

"I know," she said. Something he had said had spurred her on. "We can't give up."

"Hey, we'll be there to dance in the aisles, when the guys win the competition," he promised. "You'll see."

For some reason, she believed him **. **

* * *

**Somewhere**

**Four powerful vehicles tore through the desert as the Power Rangers made their way to the rendezvous point. The air shimmered as the four Turbo Vehicles burst through a cloud of dust. The four streaks of Ranger teleportation split, entering each individual vehicle.**

**"Man this is awesome!" Tommy cheered as they made a minor course correction.**

**The others silently agreed.**

**"All right, everyone demorph!"**

**The others obeyed, shifting back to their civilian forms. Lacking the communication provided through their helmets, and not wishing to try and operate the Turbo Zords with one hand, the Rangers strapped themselves in and opened a box on one side of the cockpit. Removing the headset and the thin microphone contained within, they put them on.**

**"Adam here, Desert Thunder ready to rumble!"**

**The Rangers placed their Turbo Keys into the ignitions. The engines seemed to grow louder as they did so.**

**"This is Kat, Wind Chaser ready to howl!"**

**A few of the Rangers adjusted their seats. They needed to be comfortable after all.**

**"This is Radio Ranger, I'm your host Tanya, and Dune Star's gonna shine!"**

**A few final adjustments and Tommy's voice could be heard again.**

**"Red Lighting, ready to bolt!"**

**"Remember, no contact with the Power Chamber," Adam warned.**

**"Yeah," Tanya agreed. "I'm cutting all transmission links now. We don't want Divatox intercepting our communications."**

**"Last link broken," Tommy told them. "We're on our own now so let's rip some velocity! Shift into Turbo!"**

**There was a collective jerk as the Rangers ripped into gear and the vehicles took off across the desert. The air resounded from the roar of the thundering Turbo Vehicle engines. The Vehicles moved in a blur of speed.**

* * *

**The Power Chamber**

**There was a lack of light as the Power Chamber split its resources between monitoring Angel Grove and its current task. Only the instrument panels glowed as Alpha worked feverishly, with Zordon looking on. In the center of the room, a shadowy figure stood on a pedestal.**

**"The Turbo Ranger powers are a force to be reckoned with, mightier than all others if used correctly. You must use it wisely and it will serve you well. Now step forward and claim your destiny."**

**A gloved hand extended, momentarily hesitated and then grabbed the Turbo Key and Morpher that waited before him. There was a flash of light.**

**"You will be teleported to your Turbo Zord," Zordon said. "Using the slipstream created by the other vehicles you will be able to catch up."**

* * *

**The edge of the Digathian Forest**

**They had been travelling for a while, their vehicles slipping between the real world and the slipstream created by their speed. It had gotten dark outside. Night had fallen. In the light of the Turbo Vehicles's headlights though, the road ahead was well lit.**

**"Okay guys ... we're heading into the forest ... switch over to Turbo beams," Tommy instructed.**

**The headlights of the four Turbo Vehicles switched over to a higher wattage as they entered the forest depths, not noticing the single pair of headlights that were rapidly catching them up.**

* * *

**The Subcraft's Bilge**

**Jason and Kimberly bent over, working on the bolts. Kimberly stopped and leaned back, stretching her muscles. They were tired and cold, but they couldn't stop working. The trap door opened and Kimberly jumped back, leaning against the panel and tried to look nonchalant. A warrior climbed down a rope ladder holding a pot.**

**"Dinner time," Jason said.**

**The warrior set the pot on the floor. Kimberly gave a little gasp and looked down at her feet where a steady stream of water flowed from the loosened bolts. She nudged Jason. The warrior turned just as Jason slid down on his butt, putting his back to the trickle of water. He smiles innocently.**

**"Sure am hungry."**

**Luckily the warrior was not the most intelligent of Divatox's crew. He simply grunted and climbed back up the ladder. The trap door slammed shut and the two eyed the pot with trepidation.**

**"I hope it's better than lunch was," Kimberly remarked.**

**Jason opens the pot and screwed his face up as he sniffed the squirming mass of wormy soup slop.**

**"I've got news for you ... it's exactly what lunch was."**

**"Gross!" Kimberly exclaimed. "I just went on a major diet."**

* * *

**Digathian Forest**

**The Turbo Vehicles moved through the forest. Tommy stopped his Turbo Vehicle and got out. The other Rangers followed suit.**

**"That river's gotta be around here somewhere," he said.**

**Suddenly, a childish laugh pierced the stillness.**

**"That sounded like a child," Kat decided.**

**The Rangers began to follow the trail of laughter. They moved through a bank of bushes and came upon the river down below.**

**"The river!" Adam exclaimed. Tanya however had spotted something else.**

**"Hey! ... Over there!"**

**"The Rangers turned to see a beautiful young girl of about eleven. Her skin was the colour of alabaster with long blue/black hair that trailed in front of her bare chest. She sat behind a formation of river stones, lit by the moon light.**

**"Just stay where you are," Adam warned.**

**The little girl laughed and vanished under the water.**

**"Hurry, she could be drowning!" Kat cried.**

**The Rangers began to scramble down the embankment, unaware that the headlights were getting closer. The girl emerged in another part of the river and floated lazily in the water as she gazed impishly at the Rangers.**

**"I've been waiting for you," she told them in a strange tone before she dove and a silvery tail flipped out of the water.**

**"A mermaid?" Kat couldn't believe her eyes, but then a few years earlier she would never have believed that she would be turned into a cat by a wicked witch.**

**The mermaid came to surface again, closer to the Rangers this time.**

**"My name ... Mandika! Mandika knows all; follow river to guide find ship, find guide ... Alpha say hi."**

**She giggled and dove back down into the water.**

**"What do you think she meant ... find guide?" Kat asked.**

**"Whatever the guide is, it's too dark to look for it now," Tommy answered.**

* * *

**The flickering flames of the campfire illuminate the night as the four Rangers gathered round the flames, snug inside their light weight silver sleeping bags. Time was moving faster in this place, a few hours had passed while in Angel Grove it had probably only been a matter of minutes.**

**"I used to be afraid of the dark," Tommy remarked as an owl hooted nearby.**

**"Yeah, that's when all the boogey men camped out under your bed," Tanya agreed.**

**"And your parents could never find them," Kat added.**

**Adam stared into the fire, not listening. As he continued to stare, he began to see the image of a sinister face. He blinked as the flaming face in the fire roared and snapped its mouth. Adam screamed and jumped away. Stuck in his sleeping bag, he inched and flailed like a worm.**

**"Adam! What is it?" Tanya demanded.**

**"Didn't you see it?" Adam asked, unusually panicked. "A face in the fire!"**

**The other Rangers looked worried.**

**"It was probably nothing," Tommy offered. "Look, I think we all could use some Zs."**

**As the Rangers lay down, Adam stared uneasily into the fire once more. He unzipped his sleeping back, picked up a flashlight and stood.**

**"I gotta clear my head," he explained.**

**"Be careful," Kat told him sleepily.**

**Adam turned on the flashlight and walked through a group of trees. Mandika's voice echoed in his head.**

**"Find guide ... Find guide ..."**

**An owl hooted and took to flight, startling Adam. Adam tripped and cried out as he slid down an incline and landed with the flashlight pointing up. He gave a short scream. The beam shot up upon an old skeleton in tattered rags and pirate hat, leaning against a tree with its bony arm pointing away. An old rusted anchor lay at its feet.**

**"The guide! It's gotta be!" he realised.**

**Looking up he noticed the other Rangers looking down at him. He smiled, embarrassed.**

**"He doesn't look so hot," he told them, "but I bet he's pointing to where the ship is."**

**Tommy looked thoughtful and then nodded. "Let's go!"**

**They returned to the Turbo Vehicles and drove them down the path, through a dense fog. They stopped the vehicles and exit, gathering to discuss their next move.**

**"Well, ... I hear the ocean. But I sure don't see it," Tanya said.**

**"I'm gonna take a look up ahead," Tommy said. He made his way slowly into the fog. As he disappeared, a loud, booming ship's bell could be heard. "I think I found it!"**

**The eerie mist parted to reveal an old pirate ship docking by a rickety pier lit by the moon. A large hatch opened.**

**"Well Zordon said it was called The Ghost Galleon," Kat reasoned.**

**A ramp slowly moved from the hatch onto the pier. At that moment, the loud roar of an engine sounded and the Rangers turned as the Mountain Blaster cleared the remaining mist and stopped. The headlights were cut as the Rangers move forward cautiously.**

**"Rocky?" Adam asked.**

**He knew that was impossible, Rocky's back was too badly damaged for him to show up, powered or not. That left the possibility that Zordon had selected somebody else to be the Blue Turbo Ranger, but just whom would he trust with the powers, and why had he waited until now?**

**The door opened and two sneakered feet jumped to the ground. Wait a minute, jumped? It was true, the pilot was definitely too short to be seen over the top of the door. The confused Rangers looked on as the door shut, revealing Justin, standing next to his Turbo Vehicle and grinning like a Cheshire cat.**

**"Justin!" Kat exclaimed.**

**Tanya was equally disbelieving. "What are you doing here?"**

**Justin looked a little sheepish. "Rocky couldn't make it, so they sent me."**

**"What are you talking about?" Adam asked. He couldn't believe this.**

**"No way!" Tommy said as the pieces fell into place.**

**"Guys, I'm the new Blue Ranger. Isn't that cool?"**

**The response from the others was pretty spontaneous. Of all the scenarios they had envisioned, this was not one of them. In the end it was summed up in one word. "What?!"**

**"Man, I was afraid I wasn't gonna make it! Alpha had to give me a crash course in driving ... Good thing you don't need a license to drive a Zord. Did you guys know that?" Justin was talking a mile a minute. He was young and had just spent hours trailing the other Rangers. He was nervous that they wouldn't accept him and excited that he had the chance to be a Ranger.**

**He was interrupted as the ship's bell tolled ominously, causing the Rangers to look up at the ship.**

**"Oookaay," Tommy said, trying to gather his composure. "We're gonna have to deal with this later, right now we've got to get on that ship!"**

**The others nodded and climbed into their Turbo Vehicles and slowly moved them into formation. They drove onto the pier and them into the ship.**

* * *

**Divatox's Subcraft**

**She peered through her periscope, seeking any sign of pursuit, and finding none, slammed it back into the ceiling, smiling as she did so.**

**"No Rangers in sight ... I knew Zordon would finally get it through his thick head not to mess with me!"**

**Elgar however was inspecting the cage where Lerigot had been secured. The small wizard was moaning softly, eyes closed as Elgar prodded him through the bars.**

**"He's gonna be dead soon," he commented.**

**Divatox joined Elgar and looked through the cage. Her nephew was right for once, if the laboured breathing was any indication, then he was in serious pain.**

**"Rygog!" she bellowed, prompting the mutant to walk in. "Do something about ... that! We can't let that wretched Liarian die before he opens the gateway to Muiranthias!"**

* * *

**The Ghost Galleon**

**"Welcome to the team," Tommy finally said. They really didn't have much choice. Rocky had for some reason chosen Justin to be his replacement and Zordon had approved. It was not as if they could break communications silence to complain. Like it or not, Justin was the new Blue Ranger. "Now, why don't we check out the ship?"**

**The Rangers moved down a narrow deck way filled with nautical memorabilia and cob webs. A door slammed and they jumped.**

**"Hopefully, it's a friendly spirit." Kat muttered as they climbed to a high deck.**

**As the Rangers walked across the deck, a thick fog made it impossible for them to see the sea.**

**"Hey ... look at this!" Justin cried excitedly.**

**The others gathered around a jewel encrusted box resting on top of a counter next to the ship's wooden wheel. Kat opened the box to find a black lining with five key shaped impressions.**

**"We know what these are for," she smiled.**

**"Let's do it," Tommy urged enthusiastically.**

**One by one, the Rangers inserted their Turbo Power Keys into the velvet grooves. Tommy was the last, and as he pulled his hand back, the ship's bell began to clang. Adam noticed the compass navigator.**

**"The needle's moving!"**

**Tommy and Justin joined him as Tanya and Katherine looked around, noticing how the fog had suddenly disappeared.**

**"The sails ..."**

**Kat looked to where Tanya was pointing.**

**"They're rising by themselves!"**

**The ship's wheel steered itself as the ship lurched forward. The Rangers stood looking out to the sea as the sun rose and the ship took off across the water at incredible speed.**

**"I'll say it again. This is way cool!" Justin said.**

**The others agreed. With the sudden speed they somehow knew they could catch up with Divatox.**

* * *

**The Subcraft**

**There was a loud thud as Elgar carelessly dropped Lerigot at Yara's feet. Yara cooed lovingly as she placed Bethel on Lerigot's chest. She crawled forward and stroked his face, causing Lerigot to open his eyes.**

**"Yara ... Bethel ..." Lerigot said weakly.**

**Yara smiled as the three Liarian heartbeats merged and filled the room with their strange song. Divatox looked disgusted.**

**"Lucky for us, we're evil and have no need of such revolting tendencies. Love? Ew!"**

**An odd alarm sounded and Divatox rushed to her control panel, narrowing the radar screen until it focussed on their immediate area.**

**"At last! We are finally approaching the Nemesis Triangle! Begin our ascent. We must avoid the reefs!"**

* * *

**"We're moving up, I can feel the pressure building," Kimberly observed before grabbing her head and sitting down on the floor.**

**"You've gotta clear your ears ... hold your nose and blowout gently," Jason advised.**

**Kimberly tried to do as her leader instructed as Jason checked his watch.**

**"We're climbing fast, we need to get the panel started**

**Kimberly agreed and the two made their way over to the panel. It would have been easier if they had had their powers, but the bilge was insulated against that form of energy. Still, what they lacked in power, they made up for in ingenuity and sheer determination.**

* * *

**The Ghost Galleon**

**They had made incredible progress in a short time and had almost caught up with Divatox and her cronies. Katherine and Tanya had taken lookout duty and were currently scanning the deck below.**

**"Do you think Justin knows what he's facing?" Tanya asked. It was a question that been on both their minds. "He's just a kid."**

**"Justin, Tommy and Adam are on one of the lower decks sparring," Kat replied. "Justin had some incredible moves. To be honest, this is the happiest I've seen him."**

**Tanya nodded, remembering the match she had witnessed earlier. "I wonder where he learned those moves. He's incredible. But still, he's a child."**

* * *

**The Subcraft**

**The alarm sounded, drawing the attention of all hands. Rygog manned the control panel as the warriors scrambled for battle. Elgar sat on the floor holding his ears as Divatox stormed in.**

**"Hell's bells! What is going on?" she demanded.**

**Rygog turned away from the control panel just long enough to explain.**

**"It's impossible ... The radar has detected the presence of five humans, but no vessel!"**

**"What, are they swimming? We're in the middle of the blasted ocean!" she pointed out.**

**"Whatever they're travelling on is quite undetectable," Rygog reasoned.**

**"No!" Divatox growled. "Zordon's Power Pups no doubt! Why didn't the radar alert us?"**

**Rygog was silent, as were the warriors. Eventually all eyes turned to Elgar who looked incredibly guilty.**

**"Well ... uh ... I turned down the radar surge to compensate for the aqua energizer shortage.""You what!" Rygog yelled. He prided himself on the correct operation of the Subcraft, and part of that success relied on Elgar remaining ten feet from the controls at all times. "How many times have I told you to stay away from the control panel?"**

**"Hey!" Elgar protested, "I was just trying to help..."**

**"Enough! Elgar, shut up!" Divatox snarled. Her idiot of a nephew was messing up her plans. She stalked toward her nephew, who had the sense to look incredibly nervous as she approached.**

**"Oh no! Not the nails... Aunt Divatox not the nails!"**

**She ignored his pleas. "You have been a great disappointment to me, Elgar."**

**Elgar was backing as quickly as possible toward the door. "I... I know... I'm sorry... I'm a screw driver... please... not the nails..."**

**Divatox leaned in close to her nephew, purposely infringing on his personal space. She smiled at him, a nice smile that she reserved just for members of her family. Elgar was terrified.**

**"No Elgar, not the nails, Rygog... open the waste dumpster!"**

**Elgar wiped his hand across the top of his head, relieved that he would be spared her preferred torture before realising what she intended. "No, not the waste dumpster! Don't send me down there, not with the cackidoodle!"**

**Divatox's smile grew for a moment and then vanished. "You should feel right at home."**

**Rygog covered his nose and pushed a button on the control board. A panel slid open in the floor, releasing a green vapour that caused those present to gag as the fumes spilled out. Daring to remove her fingers from her nose long enough to clap her hands, Divatox signalled two warriors to haul Elgar toward the opening.**

**"Noooo ... please ... I'll be bad, I promise!"**

**The warriors held Elgar aloft over the opening but did not throw him in as Divatox pondered what to do with the idiot.**

**"Do you promise Elgar?" she asked. She smiled as he nodded vigorously. "Just as I thought, you don't even have the lack of decency to lie. Drop him in!"**

**The two warriors seemed to take a great deal of pleasure as they dropped Elgar into the filthy mess contained within. As he sank, he tried into the sludge, he tried to scream, only to get a mouthful of disgusting refuse.**

**"Don't just stand there you idiots, think of something! Oh, I'll do it myself. We'll just leave a little something for those Power parasites to remember me by!" Divatox declared as she rushed to her control panel and closed the hatch.**

**"The Putrapods?" Rygog suggested.**

**"Rygog, you're a genius," she said, grinning maliciously as she pushed a button.**

**At the rear of the Subcraft a metal door slid open, allowing the vessel to eject six odd looking pods that immediately floated toward the surface. The metal door shut and the vessel vanished into the depths of the ocean not waiting to witness the pods appeared on the surface as the Ghost Galleon floated into view.**

* * *

**Kimberly and Jason eased a small part of the panel open. Water gushed in causing them to stumble as they held on for dear life.**

**"We'll have to wait till we cross through the triangle!" Jason said, raising his voice to be heard over the rushing water.**

**"We'd better get in and out of it soon ..." Kimberly replied. The water was pouring in. The light through the port hole suddenly darkened, causing Kimberly to look around nervously. "What's happening?"**

* * *

**The Subcraft shook as the repelling forces of the Nemesis Triangle tried to force it to change direction. With a cheer of triumph Divatox rose from her throne.**

**"It's time!" she announced. "We are minutes away from the dimensional gateway!" She opened Lerigot's cage and fished the Key from her cleavage. She grabbed the Liarian and thrust the Key at him. "Do it wizard! Open the gateway!"**

**In a sudden turn of defiance, Lerigot tossed the key away. Divatox screamed angrily and slapped him.**

**"Little fool!" she snarled. "Open the chamber!"**

**Rygog flipped the lever on her throne, opening the chamber. Yara and Bethel lay inside, rocking with the motion of the craft. Rygog moved to stand over them as Divatox leaned her face close to Lerigot, nails snapping out, her eyes glowing.**

**"How much do you love your family, you stupid creature? Rygog!"**

**Rygog rips Bethel from Yara. Yara wailed as Lerigot screamed. He cried softly and nodded, letting her know that she had won. Divatox smiled, stroking his head.**

**"That's better," she cooed, "that's my good little Liarian."**

**Divatox retrieved the key and gave it to Lerigot. Closing his eyes, he trilled erratically. The key glowed, emitting a bolt of light that ricocheted and then vanished through a port hole. The Subcraft calmed and Divatox snatched the key back.**

**"We're in the Nemesis Triangle!" she crowed as the Subcraft rushed through an electric warp and passed into the Nemesis Triangle.**

* * *

**Ghost Galleon**

**The fog rolled over front of the wooden vessel, shimmering as the energy behind it lit up the suddenly darkened sky.**

**"There it is," Tommy said. "The Nemesis Triangle."**

**Justin nodded. "Whatever's steering this ship, sure knows where to go."**

**"Yeah, right into the heart of it," Adam said, flatly.**

**"I've never seen anything like it," Kat breathed.**

**"Here goes nothin'!" Tanya sighed.**

**Night became day as the ship sliced its way through the fog bank, enfolding the Rangers within total silence. They could hardly see in front of the ship as it glided through the fog.**

**"Look out!" Tanya gasped. To the left, a phantom 'ship sped toward them.**

**They braced for impact but the ship vanished seconds before impact. They duck for cover as an old World War II fighter jet careened down toward them, before vanishing.**

**"Please tell me I'm not hallucinating," Kat pleaded.**

**"It's the triangle," Adam explained. "They're phantom crafts."**

**"Hit the Deck!" Tommy yelled. Illusion or not, he did not want to risk be hit by the UFO that shot across the deck and vanished into the fog.**

**"Was that a Bookala craft?" Adam asked.**

**Tommy shrugged.**

**"Man ... that was a close encounter!" Justin joked. The others groaned as the ship continued its journey.**

* * *

**Subcraft**

**Inside the bilge, Kimberly and Jason, were waist-deep in water as Jason pulled on the panel.**

**"Anytime, Jason ... the water's rising a little too high for me!"**

**Jason grabbed the weapon that he been working on and jammed it down into the opening, pulling back with all his might. Time was running out.**

* * *

**Ghost Galleon**

**The ship was slowly breaking its way through the perimeter of the Nemesis Triangle. The temperature had dropped and the sea had gotten rougher. Their instincts screamed for them to alter course, but in doing so they would fall prey to the forces at work within the area.**

**Tommy, Adam and Tanya stood on the lower deck peering out into the fog while Katherine and Justin on a higher deck, did the same.**

**"Can you see anything?" Kat asked.**

**"Just the nose in front of my face," Adam responded. "Barely."**

**"Hey ... someone turned up the chill factor here!" Tommy protested, his exclamation covering the noise of the six pods clamping themselves to the ship.**

**"It's freezing," Tanya agreed. "What's going on?"**

**The ship began to pitch as the wind picked up. The ship's steering wheel spun out of control while the sails flapped violently. Lightning crackled, sending a skittering of electricity out over the water's surface as the violent surges of the Nemesis Triangle tried to claim its newest victims.**

**"We're getting close to the gateway!" Adam yelled over the crashing waves. "We need the keys!"**

**"I'll get them," Kat offered. "I'll meet you below!"**

**The Rangers sprinted toward a lower room as Katherine moved to the Captain's deck.**

**The four Rangers scrambled into a small room below deck as a large wave crashed over the side of the ship. They had to leave the hatch open for Kat, which meant a small amount of freezing water flooded the room. The storm raged above as the Rangers latched onto things to maintain their balance. Lightning flashed blindingly as Kat stumble through the hatch with the keys. They grabbed their keys as the light darkened rapidly. They were well beyond the point of no return.**

**"Now!" ordered.**

**The Rangers raised their keys together as a wave struck the ship, causing it to pitch violently. A chair slammed forward into Justin, knocking him to the ground as his key slid across the floor.**

**"My key! I dropped my key!" he shouted as he scrambled to find it as the darkness descended in swooping motion.**

**"Hurry, Justin!" Tanya urged.**

**A bolt of electricity started to extend from the sky through the hatch toward the Rangers. Justin searched for his key.**

**"Justin!" Kat cried.**

**Justin snatched his key at the last instant, jumps up, and joins his key with the other five. The Rangers screamed as the arm of electricity hit an invisible shield blasting back into a myriad of small sparks and out the hatch. An explosion shook the ship uncontrollably, shoving the Rangers to their knees. Suddenly there was silence. Then as the light returned, the Rangers stood.**

**"It's over," Tanya sighed. "We made it through the gateway."**

**"I hope our luggage did," Adam joked.**

**The Rangers laughed in relief.**

**"We're inside the triangle!" Justin cried excitedly. "Zordon told me all about it! Weird!"**

**Before he could get too excited, Tommy said, "The keys need to be back in place."**

**"I'll get us rolling again," Kat offered.**

**"Yeah, do that. Kimberly and Jason can't be that far ahead of us."**

**Kat collected the keys and they all headed back to their previous positions. They were surprised when they reached the deck to find a beautiful sky and calm sea.**

**Kat replaced the keys and the ship lurched forward again. Then she climbed down from the Captain's deck, glanced to the side and stopped short.**

**"Tommy!"**

**"What is it?" Tommy asked as he rushed toward her.**

**"How did they get there?" she asked, pointing to the six pods grouped together in the narrow walk below the Captain's deck. Adam, Tanya and Justin joined them.**

**"Talk about ugly," Justin commented. "What are they?"**

**"Look ... that one's breathing," Adam indicated. He knelt down to get a closer look at the pods. "Breathing ... as in alive?"**

**"They all are!" Kat realised.**

**The six pods did indeed seem to be breathing. Adam stretched his hand out to examine them, but withdrew it when he heard a strange hiss. There was a loud 'CRACK!' as the pods started to break open, emitting a purple mist from the jagged crevices.**

**"Holy moley!" Justin exclaimed.**

**"Everyone back!" Tommy ordered.**

**The others were quick to obey as one of the pods began to open, revealing a small, furry, purplish brown ball, encased in transparent slime. The other pods started to pop open, revealing the same contents. The Rangers moved further back into a defensive formation.**

**Then one of the fur balls moved, as a strange looking hand smashed out of the slime. A beat later, another hand emerged, then a foot and then another. The ball grew larger to form a body that dripped with slime. The six Putrapod monsters - a cross between a gorilla and a bear, covered with rough, matted fur and anteater-like heads, with small ugly faces and jagged teeth - erupted into full-grown status.**

**"Whoa ... nasty!" Tanya exclaimed.**

**The pod monster closest to Justin turned and in a quick move, yanked Justin onto the deck in front of the other five pods, which quickly circled him. Tommy moved like lightning, climbing one of the ship's masts where he grabbed hold of a rope and swung down.**

**"Justin!"**

**Justin turned and grabbed hold of Tommy's arm as he swooped by. They landed on an upper deck as the monsters screamed shrilly, prompting the pod monsters to move toward the other Rangers on the lower deck. Tommy and Justin jumped from the upper deck, landing an incredible kick into two of the monster's backs. That was the signal as the Rangers launched into a full force battle using whatever they could lay their hands on. Tanya heaved a barrel at a monster, sending it down for a moment as Adam picked up a plank of wood and batted a monster aside. Kat swung an old buoy over her head and let it go like a sling shot. It crashed into a monster stunning the creature for a brief moment. The Rangers held the upped hand, but were quickly tiring.**

**"They keep getting up again!" Kat complained.**

**"They're too strong!" Tanya agreed.**

**The monsters closed in as the Rangers fought harder. It was starting to look like a losing battle.**

****To be Continued ****


	24. Race to the Volcano

Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers or any other show. No profit is being made from this piece of fanfiction. The next few chapters will borrow heavily from Turbo: A Power Ranger Movie.

Author's Note: Some events in this chapter follow on from those Lerigot's Greatest Trick.

Race to the Volcano

Subcraft

Jason and Kimberly were treading water. Their attempts to escape so far had failed, mostly due to the water pressure that prevented them from opening the hatch fully.

"Let's try again!" Jason suggested. They were running out of air space.

Kimberly nodded, drew a deep breath and at Jason's signal, dived beneath the surface where the two managed to force the panel open.

* * *

Ghost Galleon

The Rangers were starting to tire. Justin, the least experienced was on his back, struggling to get away from two of the monsters.

"This isn't working," he complained as he scurried back.

Adam swung a high kick, sending one of the monsters flying as another jumped on his back. Tommy dodged his way toward the Captain's Room.

* * *

Subcraft

It had been a struggle, but the panel was finally opened wide enough for a body to slip through. Satisfied, Kimberly and Jason headed back up and burst through the water's surface, gasping for air.

"Wish me luck!" Kimberly said.

"Good luck," Jason answered with a slight smile.

Drawing a breath, the two Rangers dove beneath the surface. Kimberly wriggled through the opening but became stuck when her t-shirt snagged on a jagged piece of metal. She looked at Jason in horror as he frantically tried to free her.

* * *

The sudden inrush of water could not be ignored forever. With the bilge suddenly filled with water, the Subcraft lurched and jolted as the weight shifted. A red 'Tilt' sign screamed in red as Divatox and Rygog rushed to the control panel.

"We're sinking!" Rygog cried.

"Of course we're sinking. This is a submarine!" Divatox snapped.

"Water sensors show a serious leak in the Subcraft," he said, correcting his earlier statement while backing away just enough to put himself outside of her range should she turn on him.

* * *

Ghost Galleon

With an intense series of acrobatic moves, Tommy manoeuvred his way toward the Captain's deck while the other Rangers tried to keep the monsters from going after him. Just as Tommy reached the deck, a monster appeared from around the corner. Tommy greeted it with a swing kick and as the monster fell back, scrambled up and along the next deck, before he was yanked back by the pod monster, who had a fierce hold on his foot. CRASH! Another monster launched itself onto the deck and moved toward Tommy. The other Rangers noticed his plight, but were already busy battling against the remaining monsters.

"Tommy! ... Hurry!" Kat cried as she was knocked to her knees.

Adam jumped into the air, avoiding a vicious attack and allowing the monster to rush headlong into a sail frame. Justin was still on the ground, having thrown one monster aside and now trying to scramble away from the second monster, which seemed intent upon embedding its fangs into his neck. Tanya swatted at a monster as she backed into an old wooden barrel and fell backwards.

* * *

Subcraft

Divatox was furious. Her prisoners had somehow managed to make a hole in the side of her ship. How dare those pests vandalise her Subcraft? If she hadn't needed them to sacrifice to Maligore, she'd have already flayed them alive.

"It's coming from the bilge! ... Activate the emergency hatch!"

Rygog pushed a button and in the bilge, a second hatch started to slide down over the panel opening. Kimberly struggled as Jason tried to keep the second hatch from closing on her. She broke free just as the second hatch slammed shut. Jason shot up and broke the surface, his head pressed into the ceiling.

"Go for it Kim ..." he whispered as Kimberly slowly swam up to the surface, releasing a trail of air bubbles.

* * *

Ghost Galleon

Tommy flopped onto his back as he tried to dislodge the pod monster from his foot. The other monster was drooling hungrily as he approached. Tommy looked up to see Adam vault overhead. Tommy screamed, knees upwards into the monster and rolled, just as Adam landed a kick to the second monster's back. The two monsters knocked into each other and started to fight each other. Adam grabbed Tommy and hauled him up.

"Come on, buddy!"

Tommy and Adam grabbed the keys from the box, causing the ship to lurch to a stop as Tommy and Adam turned to see the monsters headed straight toward them.

* * *

Subcraft

A panel slid open to reveal a shoot covered in bars. There was a loud WHOOSH! Then the water shot out of the floodgate. Jason fells to the Bilge floor, coughing and gasping for air. The trap door flew open and Divatox glared down at him. He knew he was defeated, but he hoped Kimberly had more luck.

* * *

Something was wrong Kimberly realised as she struggled to break the water's surface. She still didn't feel the connection with the Morphin Grid. Maybe it was a result of being trapped in the Cold Iron cell or perhaps due to travelling through the Nemesis Triangle, but it seemed the Power was not within her grasp as she tried to keep her head above water. Soon despite her struggles she lapsed into unconsciousness and sank.

* * *

Ghost Galleon

Tommy and Adam lunged forward with a scream, battering into the two monsters and sending them flying down below. The two teens then jumped down onto the deck amidst the raging battle where the other Rangers were taking a beating.

"We gotta Morph, now!" Adam urged.

"You got it!" Tommy agreed. "Guys, over here!"

The Rangers converged to receive their keys. One by one, they inserted the Turbo Keys into the Turbo Morphers on their wrists.

"Shift into Turbo! ... Red Lightning Turbo Power!"

"Desert Thunder Turbo Power!"

"Wind Chaser Turbo Power!"

"Dune Star Turbo Power!"

"Mountain Blaster Turbo Power!"

Justin cried out as his body was stretched. The powers were designed to operate best with those that met certain height and weight requirements. Since Justin was smaller than the template, the powers altered his body so that it was closer to adult size. The pain was short-lived.

"Whoa! I love being big!" he exclaimed.

"Let's kick some furball butt!" Red Turbo chuckled. These powers felt different to those he had wielded in the past. He didn't feel the sudden burst of extra strength to the same degree that he normally experienced. It wasn't better or worse, just ... different.

Then the five Rangers attacked the monsters with incredible force.

* * *

Kimberly slowly sank into the depths of the oceans, totally unaware when a pale white hand grabbed and pulled her toward the surface. As the two surfaced, Kimberly coughed but did not come round. Mandika the Mermaid looked at the girl to make sure it was worth saving her, and then started to swim.

* * *

The Rangers launched into an amazing martial arts battle against the monsters, enhanced by their new powers.

"How about some Auto Blaster action?" Red Turbo asked.

The Rangers pulled out their blasters and fired. The monsters' reaction was unusual; they fell and started to shrink, rolling back into balls. Blue Turbo Rangers ran and kicked one of the balls out over the ocean.

"Yeah! I aced in Soccer!"

He turned and kicked the other ball, sending it flying. Pink Turbo Ranger rammed a wheeled cannon into a monster and sent it winging off the ship. The Rangers stopped and looked around. All the monsters were gone.

"Alright! ... We did it!" Green Turbo cheered.

"Pretty awesome stuff there!" Red Turbo Ranger said as he clapped Blue Turbo Ranger on the back.

"Just doing my job! .. My dad's been teaching me since I was a kid. I wish he coulda seen this."

* * *

Murianthus

The water bubbled as the Subcraft emerged from the sea. They had made it. Now it was a matter of time before Divatox achieved her goal.

* * *

After the battle the Rangers had demorphed and gathered on the deck.

"It should be anytime now," Tanya said.

"Alright!" Justin cried excitedly from the crow's nest. "Land ahoy ... I always wanted to say that!"

"Better come down now, Justin!" Kat called.

Justin scrambled back down to the deck and joined the others.

"There it is," Adam pointed. The Island of Muiranthias loomed in the distance. Lush foliage dotted the hills as a golden mist of clouds hovered above. "Muiranthias... There's a volcano inside a temple we have to find. That's where they'll be headed ..."

"So will we," Tommy said.

The Rangers turned and headed back into the ship.

* * *

Kimberly's face pressed into the sand. A wave washed over her and she coughed, rolling onto her back. Her eyes opened groggily then snapped open with terror. Not far away, a group of ten native warriors, scowled down at her.

They were the Malikayas, almost human creatures covered from head to toe in blue clay and red dotted lines with exotic plumage in their hair. They let loose with horrible howls. Kimberly struggles to rise but was pinned by a spear.

"Out of the frying pan into the fire," she moaned.

* * *

Divatox stood amidst the flurry of activity, watching as her underlings rushed about, preparing for their trek to the volcano.

"We must begin our trek to the Serpent's Temple before we lose any more prisoners! Today is my wedding day and I'm already tied in knots!"

Elgar lumbered forward holding a large chain attached to a robed Jason. Divatox moved closer, sniffing.

"Elgar, you still stink. Move away from me."

Rygog checked on Lerigot's condition, kneeling to look into the wizard's cage. "We must hurry. He is dying!"

Lerigot's skin was a deathly grey and his breathing was barely detectable. Divatox knocked Rygog away.

"No! He must live long enough to gain access to the temple and become an offering to Maligore!"

At that moment the radar shrieked.

"Now what?" she demanded.

Rygog moved to the control panel.

"Impossible! The radar is detecting the same five human life forms approaching the island."

"Yes, I knew they wouldn't let us down!" Jason cried, only to be jerked back when Elgar yanked the chain.

"Don't yank my chain, human."

Divatox chose to ignore him. "Blast! The Putrapods have failed me! ... Still no detection of a vessel?"

"Negative," Rygog replied.

"I've got to get rid of those power gnats! She snarled before running to the control panel where she pushed a series of buttons and levers. "I say we blow the tadpoles right out of the water! ... Launch the heat-seeking torpedoes!"

The ship shuddered as the torpedoes shot out of the hatch and began to rise. As the torpedoes surfaced, a small radar periscope jutted up from their back. They beeped steadily as they move forward.

* * *

On the far side of the island, the Rangers held their Power Boxes and watched the ramp emerge out into the sea. Tommy looked at his Turbo Navigator and realised something was wrong.

"I can't get a signal on Lerigot."

"Look, my Vehicle's positioned out first. Why don't I drive to the top of that cliff over there and see if I can locate the temple?" Adam suggested.

"Okay, keep in contact and we'll get the other vehicles rolling," Tommy agreed.

Adam exited leaving the other four to finish the preparations. His Turbo Vehicle propelled its way through the water to shore.

The four Rangers stood on the deck, watching Adam's Turbo Vehicle made its way up the rugged trail. Suddenly, the radars on the Power Boxes started to beep.

"What's going on?" Kat asked.

" I don't know," Tommy replied, checking the box.

Tanya looked at hers and punched some buttons. "Uh oh, I think our cover's blown. Something's coming toward us."

"And it's coming fast," Tommy confirmed.

"We can't be detected inside the Turbo Vehicles!" Kat pointed out.

"Come on!" Justin cried, suddenly sensing something was wrong. "We've gotta get our butts in those cars!"

The four Rangers started to run.

* * *

Adam's Turbo Vehicle stopped atop the cliff. As he climbed out, he stuffed his Turbo Key into his pocket and put on his Power Box. He gazed upwards at the hill behind him. His eyes fixed on the mysterious and foreboding temple.

"Wow ..." he said softly.

As radar started to beep, Adam adjusted his headset and walked to the cliff's edge, gazing at the radar. He scanned the sea below then took out his Power Binoculars to peruse the rocky cove and ocean.

"Guys, I can see the temple from here ... what's with the alarm?"

"We zeroed in on something headed toward us ... Can you see anything from up there?" Tommy replied.

"Checking." In the distance he could make out the two torpedo periscopes tracking their way through the water. Adam watched as they changed their heading and travel toward the Ghost Galleons. "What? Hey Guys!"

Just seconds later the torpedoes connected with their targets, turning the Ghost Galleon into matchsticks. Adam looked on in horror, unable to believe what he was seeing. They had come all that way only to be blown out of the water.

* * *

"We did it!" Elgar proclaimed as Divatox celebrated.

* * *

The sound of engines caused Adam to look down at the remains of the ship, just in time to see the Turbo Vehicle break from the wreckage and make their way to shore.

"Whoo!" he cried, not caring who would hear him before making his way up the cliff face, seeking a way to get to the temple.

* * *

On another part of the island, Divatox and company were making their way to the volcano. Rygog dragged a robed figure while some of Divatox's warriors pulled the cages containing Lerigot, Bethel and Yara. They had only trekked a short distance when they were confronted by a group of warriors carrying a bound Kimberly.

"Ah here's the other Power Brat," Divatox said as the robed figure removed his hood to reveal Jason.

Elgar was bolstered by the lack of fear in his aunt's voice and decided to pick a fight.

No! ... Wait!" Divatox ordered before the idiot could ruin everything. "These are the Malikayas, guardians of Maligore ... Bring the Wizard!"

The warriors removed Lerigot from his cage and dragged him to Divatox. She removed his skull cap and then pulled the Golden Key from her cleavage and placed it in Lerigot's hand.

"Do it wizard ... spin your magic. Open the temple gate!"

Lerigot swayed, looked back at his family, and then with a shudder, took the key. The key glowed as a spark of light ricocheted wildly, and landed by the tribe, causing a small fire. The Malikayas gasp and fall to their knees.

"What a rush! Power is such a head trip! ... Come on! We're gonna spring your evil idol man!"

Lerigot stumbled forward as Divatox and the others follow.

* * *

"Adam, are you all right?" Kat asked when the teens met up.

"Yeah, but I thought you guys were goners," Adam said. Then he grew serious. "Lerigot's dying, ... we may already be too late!"

"We gotta kick it into action!" Tommy said, using his binoculars to scan the climb to the temple. "We'll leave the Vehicles and go for a silent approach ... Let's shift into Turbo!"

The Rangers quickly morphed and headed off. One advantage of the Turbo powers was the ability to perform a quick morph without the need for a complex sequence of movements. They moved up the hill at Turbo speed.

"Up ahead," Red Turbo called as he passed through a bank of trees.

The Rangers rushed into the clearing and moved to an ornate temple door.

"Turbo key action!" he called, causing the five Rangers to join their keys together. A bolt of combined power rocketed into the lock and the door swung open.

"Now you're talking!" Blue Turbo yelled before shooting through the door.

"Justin! Be careful!" Green Turbo warned as the other Rangers swiftly followed.

Unexpectedly the door slammed, casting the Rangers into darkness.

"Justin ... where are you?" Yellow Turbo asked.

"Over here!" he replied, which was a pretty useless response since it was too dark to see him.

"Turbo Headlights - on!" Red Turbo commanded.

The Rangers switched on the headlights at the top of their helmets. Blue Turbo was standing in the middle of a large expanse with an oil slick lake covering the floor. Rats skittered across the ground as the Rangers moved forward. A loud booming noise echoed in the tunnel causing Justin to jump and almost slip.

"What's that?" he asked, a little fear evident in his voice.

"Must be an underground volcano," Green Turbo told him.

"I can feel the heat," Pink Turbo said as she pressed her glove against the wall.

"Just watch your step and stay together," Red Turbo instructed. "Things could get pretty slippery."

Together the Rangers slogged their way through the oil slick.

* * *

Divatox and her cronies had been led to a vast cavernous chamber where the small group of natives looked on in awe as they lowered Kimberly's wooden bed to the floor. Lerigot collapsed as Divatox walks to the chamber's center and looked down into the mouth of the volcano.

Within the volcano, fire and lava roiled into a twisted stew. The glimmer of a malevolent, fiery face appeared momentarily, his mouth opening to spew a stream of lava with a deafening roar. Divatox jumped back from the lava stream, laughing that her dreams were about to come true. She clapped her hands and two warriors climbed a wall and began to turn a large metal wheel that squealed with age. Two rusty chains and hooks lowered over the volcano mouth.

"Prepare the humans first! ... He can have the Liarians for dessert!"

"Come on, Divatox. Don't you know bad guys never win," Jason called.

Divatox laughed. "You wish power boy! You have no idea of what you're dealing with! Rygog! Elgar! String them up!"

The chains were attached to their bonds and then at Divatox's signal they were hauled into position over the volcano.

"Enjoying you hang time?" Divatox asked, laughing cruelly up at the captive Rangers. Jason sneaked a quick look at Kimberly, as best he could over his shoulder. She was still in the almost catatonic state she had inhabited since her recapture. She didn't speak or respond to anything anyone said, simply stared straight ahead. Jason knew how she felt. His mind was reeling with the possibilities of what was about to happen. And none of those thoughts were good.

"You won't get away with this, Divatox," he told her calmly. Despite his clichÃ© words, the cold lack of emotion in his voice made the pirate shiver.

"Oh, and why is that?" she drawled, trying to cover the momentary surge of fear his words had given her. "Who's going to stop me? Zordon's stuck in his tube, your Power Ranger friends are dead, and you're chained to a rope, about to become lunch for my fiancÃ©. What makes you think anyone is going to come to your aid?"

Jason smiled coldly. "I didn't say that. I don't expect to come out of this. Somehow, though, someone will stop you. It's the way it works. Even if you kill every single Power Ranger on Earth, someone will rise up against you, and in the end, you'll fall. Your kind always fall."

"Spare me the melodrama," she sighed. "We've got better things to do. Maligore! Great flame of destruction, come forth! I have sacrifices for you, strong and pure. Come forth! Feed upon their purity and twist their souls to evil!"

Jason struggled helplessly against his bonds as he began to lower, slowly, towards the pit. "Kim, snap out of it!" he cried. "Kim, come on!" There was no response. She simply hung there as they headed for the molten rock below.

Jason Scott was not a religious person, really. He had never seen much need for it, beyond a basic belief that something was out there, something inherently good that watched over the universe. He hadn't been to church in three years, except for Christmas, Easter, and Mother's Day. Now, however, he closed his eyes and began to pray in earnest, not only for himself, but for Kimberly and the rest of the world as well.

"Did we miss the party?" a familiar voice asked, snapping Jason out of his fear-induced stupor. Red Turbo stood in the middle of the floor, arms crossed lazily over his chest. Anger radiated from his entire body. Behind him, the rest of the Rangers, all morphed, were eyeing Divatox's warriors warily, although the underlings were too stunned to attack at the moment.

"Tommy!" Jason cried. "Are we ever glad to see you!" Behind him, Kim began to stir.

"Tommy?" she murmured. "No. You're dead. They said you were dead." Tears filled her eyes as she looked at him.

Red Ranger's voice was warm as he replied. "Now, Kim. You know me better than that. We drove ashore. There was no way a little torpedo would stop us."

"Tommy! You're alive!" she shouted. "Get us down from here!"

Red Turbo saluted. "Right. Let's kick some scale!"

The scene that followed was impossible to describe, but two words came close: utter chaos. Elgar and the warriors outnumbered the rangers by about four to one, but the Rangers had experience in fighting enemies much more numerous than they. The Turbo Rangers were unstoppable, their incredible speed making up for any lack of strength. Hacking and slashing, they fought their way closer to Rygog and their friends

Blue and Pink were back-to-back, sending Divatox's warriors, Piranhatrons as she had called them, flying in every direction. All around them, the battle raged as Red and Green Turbo were fighting to get through the Piranhatrons and reach the winch that held the chain. Yellow Turbo was still fighting with Rygog, holding her own. Unfortunately, she couldn't get to the chain, and it was still slowly lowering into the pit.

"Let's speed this up, shall we?" Divatox smiled. Throwing a lever that stood to one side of her, she laughed as Jason and Kim plummeted into the pit.

"No!" Red Turbo cried, throwing himself towards the edge of the pit. Suddenly a gout of flame billowed out from it, hurling him back. When the flames cleared, Jason and Kimberly were standing on the edge of the volcano.

"Kim?" Kat whispered, hardly daring to believe it. The two teens turned around, and the assembled Rangers gasped. Jason and Kimberly's eyes were now blood red, and the expressions on their faces were cold and emotionless. Raising their hands in front of their faces, they snapped the chains holding their wrists together with ease.

"Maligore's children, arise!" Divatox cried. "Destroy those who would threaten your master!"

With a pair of impressive flips, Jason and Kimberly leaped down from the side of the pit. "Kimberly," Red Turbo begged, rising slowly to his feet, "you have to fight it. Fight the evil inside you!"

"Evil is like evil does," Kimberly replied. Her voice was low and husky, different from when he'd heard it in the past. She was advancing on him, and he was backing up, unwilling to fight her. She took the decision out of his hands when she spin-kicked him, knocking him out of her way. Smiling evilly, she continued to advance on Kat.

Jason, meanwhile, didn't change course, he targeted Red Turbo. The two of them had been engaging in friendly competition for years, ever since Tommy had joined the team. Now, under the spell, Jason's only thought was to destroy the Ranger who could destroy him. He would prove who was the better man once and for all. The two of them fought back and forth, neither gaining the upper hand. For all Jason's strength, Red Turbo was quicker, and the bigger boy's powerful strikes did little good if they didn't connect. Red Turbo was tiring, though, and it was only a matter of time before he was too slow to get out of the way.

The other Turbo Rangers were still dealing with the Piranhatrons, and it looked as if they were winning. Suddenly, though, the room began to shake as another gout of flame spat out of the pit, drawing everyone's attention back to it. The fights were forgotten as the combatants watched in awe and terror as a wickedly clawed hand, made out of solid and molten rock, landed on the edge. Then, slowly and deliberately, Maligore pulled himself out of the volcano.

He was a terrifying sight, standing seven feet tall and almost three feet wide. Red eyes glowed in his eye sockets and his face resembled that of the sea monsters in old horror movies, except that there was no denying he was real. A set of incredibly sharp teeth completed the picture.

"At last, I am free!" Maligore cried, stretching.

Blue Turbo thought vaguely to himself that this was the last straw his sanity could take. He had expected the creature, if it could talk at all, to have a loud, rumbling voice, like an erupting volcano. Instead, Maligore's voice was deep and rich, almost pleasant to listen to.

"Divatox, my dear, I commend you on your efforts to free me. In return, we shall be wed as soon as possible," Maligore said. Divatox flushed and bowed. Then the molten being walked over to where Kim and Jason stood, regarding the Rangers contemptuously. "And the two of you shall have great power as well. I'm sure I can think of excellent rewards for you." He turned to Jason. "You shall command my armies in my conquest of this planet." Jason bowed, a cold smile on his face. "And you," he said, turning to Kimberly, "shall have a place of great honour by my side. Not as my wife, of course, but the post of first concubine is hardly a lowly one."

At the word "concubine," Red Turbo had stepped forward, growling under his breath. Before anyone could stop him, Red Turbo had launched himself forward, slamming into a startled Maligore with all his strength. The volcanic monster reeled back, falling back into the volcano from which it had emerged. For a long moment, all was still.

Suddenly, with a mighty roar, Maligore leaped up out of the sea of molten rock. Slamming into Red Turbo Ranger, he knocked him to the ground, shattering his helmet against the floor. "I am not so easily defeated," he sneered. "Power down, Rangers, or I gut your leader from throat to belly."

The Rangers exchanged helpless looks, then as one powered down. As the Piranhatrons circled them, weapons at the ready, they slowly raised their hands.

"Power down, Red Ranger," Maligore grinned. "Unless you'd like to see them all destroyed?"

Tommy regarded the monster coolly for a second, then returned to his normal attire. Maligore hauled him up, shoving him towards the others.

"Now, Rangers," the molten being mused, "what shall I do with you?"

The laughter that accompanied his question promised that what he had in mind would not be pleasant.

* * *

Maligore inspected the Rangers smugly, pacing back and forth in front of the small group as they all glared. "At long last, I will have my revenge on those miserable creatures that dared imprison me in that volcano centuries ago! Now I am released, and I have found the perfect vengeance on the forces of light. And I will start with those that attempted to prevent my release!"

"Better goons than you have tried to kill us," Tommy scoffed, "and we're all still here."

"Oh, but I don't intend to kill you, Rangers," Maligore chuckled. "At least, not all of you. I have far more entertaining plans in mind than that." So saying, he turned to Jason and Kimberly, who still watched their imprisoned friends with those impassive red eyes. "My children, as a reward for your faithful service, you may each choose one Ranger to do with as you wish. Jason? Which Ranger is yours?"

Jason walked up and down the line of captive Rangers for a long moment. He looked at Tommy, an evil grin lighting his features, then shook his head. "No," he rasped. "As much as I would like to destroy you, Ranger, I won't waste my reward on so fleeting a pleasure."

While Jason made his choice, Maligore turned to Kim. "And you, my dear. Which one do you choose?"

Her choice was made far more quickly than Jason's. Immediately, she crossed to where Tommy was being held. "Him. I'll take him."

Maligore chuckled. "Yes, I think I will put him into the fire. Perhaps I will make you share him, slave to one and victim for the other. I can see the results would be... entertaining." Turning away, he gestured to the Piranhatrons. "Separate the Red Ranger from the group." The fish-men did so roughly, pulling Tommy out of the line. Then Maligore strolled along the line himself.

"Most of you will join my ranks," he told them. "The pit will allow the evil in your hearts, small as it may be, to take over. Some of you, however, are not worth the effort. I'm afraid I'll just have to kill you." His eyes lingered on Adam and Tanya.

"You two are so much wasted effort. I'd be out of my mind to bother with you. You on the other hand, Pink Ranger, have much delicious darkness in your heart. You will be an excellent warrior for my cause." His voice lowered, and he grabbed her chin in one clawed hand. "And you are quite lovely, as well. Perhaps I will make use of you in a more- personal sense."

"Now, what to do with you?" Maligore mused as he studied Justin. "There's no evil in you as there is in the Red Ranger. Given time there could be, but I'm not feeling patient. I suppose I'll just have to destroy you. Perhaps I'll do it myself, or better yet, have your friends do it."

"Wait," Divatox interrupted, stepping forward. "I have a better idea. Give him to me. He's helpless without his powers, so we just take those away. I have some marvellous uses for him planned." She looked him up and down, hunger evident in her gaze. Maligore regarded her for a second, then nodded. To plan to corrupt a child, this was a truly twisted woman. He had been right to reward her.

"All right, my dear, as you will." Two more Piranhatrons grabbed Justin and Kat, hauling them over to where Tommy stood. Turning to his assorted followers, he raised his arms. "First, we bring these three Rangers over to us. Then we'll let them destroy their friends. And finally, we will unleash them on those that would have aided them, and I will finally have my revenge!"

"I don't think so, ugly," Tanya growled.

While the villain had been occupied with Tommy and Kat, Adam and Tanya had managed to retrieve a few of the emergency flares from their backpacks. Together they pitched the makeshift weapons into the fire, resulting in a blinding explosion.

Tommy, realizing the confusion that now surrounded them, called out to his friends. "Shift into Turbo!"

Morphed once more, Red Turbo immediately found himself tangling with Jason once again, while Kimberly and held off Yellow and Green Turbo, both of whom were forced to pull their punches to avoid hurting their friends. As Pink Turbo went after Divatox, Blue Turbo made short work of the Piranhatrons, while Maligore looked on.

When Rygog and Elgar joined the battle, it became clear that they were outnumbered again. Blue Turbo noticed that the rope used to lower Jason and Kim into the volcano was just dangling there. Checking to make sure that it was anchored, he leaped into the air. With a Tarzan yell, he ploughed into Rygog, knocking him into Elgar. Landing lightly on his feet, he resumed battling the Piranhatrons.

Meanwhile, Jason was beating the living daylights out of Red Turbo, mainly due to Red Turbo's desire not to hurt his best friend. The bigger boy had the Ranger backed up all the way to the edge of the volcano, but showed no desire to push him in, preferring instead to throttle him. With a cold laugh, Jason backhanded the Turbo Ranger, sending him flying across the room into a wall. He struck it hard, slid down to the floor, as Jason seemed to turn his focus toward Justin.

"Nooo!" Red Turbo yelled, charging Jason. The other was ready for this move, however, and caught the charging boy, pushing him back until they were leaning over the pit.

"Out of the frying pan, into the fire," Jason whispered. However, he still seemed to be fighting the urge to drop Red Ranger into the volcano.

~If he drops me, it'll seal him to evil for the rest of his life,~ Red Turbo thought. ~He won't be able to face himself otherwise. I can't let that happen.~

"I won't let you blame yourself for this, Jason," Tommy said in a low tone. "I won't let you force me into the fire. I choose it myself." With a mighty shove, Red Turbo hurled himself out of Jason's grip, directly back into the volcano.

"Tommy!" Jason screamed, reaching out helplessly to his falling friend. He wasn't quick enough, however, and Red Turbo fell by him. All the red left Jason's eyes as he stumbled back from the pit, not wanting to watch as the other hit the magma below.

Suddenly, a huge gout of flame spurted out of the volcano and a shockwave of pure white light seemed to fill the room. Kimberly, still embroiled in her merciless attack on the Green and Yellow Turbo Rangers, stopped, shaking her head.

"Adam, Tanya?" she asked. "Oh, my God, what have I done?"

Yellow Turbo, seeing that the red light was gone from her friend's eyes, just shook her head. "It's over now." Suddenly she looked over at Jason. "Wait a minute. Where's Tommy?"

She was never answered. Maligore suddenly threw back his head and screamed. "No! The Pit of Eternal Fire! The source of my powers! Nooooo!" As the Rangers watched, his solid rock body began to liquefy and run across the floor, hissing steam as it went. Soon Maligore, the great flame of destruction, was just a little puddle of cooling basalt.

Divatox regarded the Rangers nervously. "Rygog! Elgar! Piranhatrons!" she shouted. "Let's get out of here! I'll deal with you another time, Rangers."

"Yeah, we'll be waiting, Divatox!" Green Turbo shouted back. "All of us."

"Guys, where's Tommy?" Justin asked. In unison, everyone turned to Jason, who wore a look of utter devastation.

"He went into the volcano. He pushed himself back, so that I wasn't responsible for it. He sacrificed himself." Katherine and Kimberly went up and put their arms around him, allowing him to bury his head in their shoulders. Blue Turbo walked to the edge of the pit.

"Whoa!" Blue Turbo cried. "It's all gone cold!" It was true. All of the magma in the pit had changed to solid rock.

"But what happened to Tommy?" Kat asked.

"Someone call my name?" The Rangers whirled to see the Red Turbo Ranger standing behind them, scorched and battered, but unmistakably alive.

"Tommy!" Jason and Black Ranger cried in unison, rushing him. "You're alive!"

"I'm not so sure of that," he replied sardonically. "I feel like I just went through the heart of a star."

"What happened?" Jason asked, still holding onto his friend's shoulder. "I saw you fall. How did you get out?"

Red Turbo shrugged. "I don't know. I blacked out before I hit the magma. Next thing I know, I was back there, listening to you all talking about me."

* * *

The Subcraft

"Quickly Rygog, fire the torpedoes," Divatox ordered. "We'll trap those brats inside the volcano."

"At once Captain!" Rygog growled before hitting the button.

* * *

The sky was suddenly filled with fire, causing the Rangers to halt.

"Hey," Adam said, "what is that?"

"Trouble," Tommy decided. "We have big trouble."

Somehow instead of trapping the Rangers as she had intended, Divatox's torpedo had pierced the frozen volcano.

Maligore erupted from the frozen volcano, standing upon the renewed flames. With the help of the volcano he had grown, filling the entire chamber with his massive frame, dripping lava over the stone floor. The Turbo Rangers froze as he roared an ugly laugh.

"Aw man, we gotta stop this!" Tommy realised. "Adam, Thunder Cannon!"

Green Turbo Ranger turned his weapon on Maligore and fired, well aware that he might as well have been using a potato gun against the lava giant. Maligore roared angrily and turned to face the Rangers.

"Whoa! He's really fired up!" Yellow Turbo remarked.

"That barely fazed him, Tommy! What's the plan?" Green Turbo asked.

"Right! We gotta lure that fire bug out and call on our Zords!" Red Turbo decided.

That answer pleased Justin, who had been anxious to engage in a real Zord battle.

The Rangers jumped into formation and raced across the room, their speed carrying them just inches away from Maligore. The enraged Flame of Destruction swatted at them, managing to strike Green Turbo, the last to run by. Green Turbo Ranger fell to the ground. The other Rangers reached the far side of the cave as Maligore moved toward Green Turbo Ranger menacingly.

"Adam!" Kimberly cried. "Pink Ranger Power!"

She hefted up a native spear and raced forward, using her graceful gymnastics to avoid the monster's massive fists, she jabbed it into the back of Maligore's foot.

"How about a little acupuncture, you over grown hibachi?!"

Maligore yowled and turned as Green Turbo joined the other Rangers.

"Thanks Kim."

"Maligore!" Divatox cried, her image appearing overhead. "Incinerate them!"

The Rangers turned to run. Red Turbo stopped and threw a look toward Kimberly, Jason, Lerigot and the others.

"Don't worry," Kimberly assured him, "We'll keep an eye on them. Just go!

Red Turbo took off with Maligore in pursuit. Divatox's evil laugh echoed across the island as she watched from the safety of her vessel. Part of the tunnel opening crumbled as Maligore tore his massive frame through the narrow opening. As he struggle free, the Ragers had disappeared. IN the distance though he could see a cloud of smoke and heard the roar of the Turbo Vehicles's engines.

Red Turbo Ranger punched a series of buttons, activating the programming Alpha and Billy had buried deep within the machine's processors, far beyond the reach of any viruses.

"Activating Turbo Zords!"

"Right!" the others replied, placing their Turbo Keys into a slot on the steering wheel, causing a special gear lever to appear beside them.

"Shift into Turbo!" Red Turbo called.

Collectively the Rangers grabbed the lever and pulled it, causing the five Turbo Zords begin to grow into their larger forms. Around them the car-like interiors were replaced with the sort of cockpits they expected to find inside a Megazord.

Green Turbo Ranger adjusted some of the levers in the cockpit, fine tuning his Zord. "Alright! These Zords are kickin!" He glanced down at one of the screens, now complete with the image of an angry looking Maligore.

"Let's see what kind of damage the Turbo Megazord can do!" Justin suggested as he made a few adjustments of his own.

"With you on that!" Red Turbo called.

"Let's get down to business!" Yellow Turbo urged. "Computer assisted controls are engaged."

The five Turbo Zords moved closer together as they approached Maligore at high speed. It took seconds to close the distance.

"Turbo Megazord Power! ... Now!"

The Rangers took their hands off the steering wheels of the Zords as they allowed the Turbo Megazord's computer to do its work. As an angry Divatox looked on through her periscope, the five Zords merged to form the Turbo Megazord.

"Maligore! Crush them!" Divatox pleaded, unable to pull away from the scene unfolding before her.

The two behemoths met, exchanging right hooks that caused both to stagger and spark. More punches were thrown and blocked, the Megazord gaining a crucial advantage when Maligore was knocked on his back, only to lose it seconds later when the demonic creature let loose with a burst of flame, obscuring their view.

"Where'd he go?" Red Turbo asked, scanning for any sign of their adversary.

"He can't be far away," Blue Turbo reasoned. "You can't hide something that big."

Tommy didn't think now was the right time to point out that during a battle between large robots and super-sized lava monsters, the usual limits did not apply.

"I have him," Pink Turbo informed him. "Heat sensors can pick him up no matter where he hides."

"Adam, what are the weapons like on this thing?"

"We've got the individual Zord weapons, but they're not intended for Megazord use," Green Turbo reported. "It would be like going after Elgar with a toothpick. We've got a sword and shield online, and there are a few tricks we can use."

"We don't have a clear shot for the Spinout just yet," Red Turbo sighed. "We'll have to try something else. Damage report?"

"Shields are at 85%, and we're running a little hot in the power room," replied Yellow Turbo. "Something went bang during the last shot, but since we're still standing it can wait for now."

"Right," Red Turbo responded grimly. "Anybody got any ideas?"

"I've got one," Pink Turbo shot back. "Hit him with a light show!"

The lights on the Megazord's chest lit up in sequence, blasting Maligore and temporarily blinding it. Unfortunately the lack of sight did not prevent it lunging wildly and swiping its claws across the Zord's chest.

"Tyre Shield online!" Red Turbo ordered.

The wheel shaped shield appeared in the Zord's left hand, just in time to knock another swipe aside. Then the shield started to spin, the momentum allowing it to turn the follow-up burst of flame back at Maligore.

"Hold on guys, because here he comes again!"

Shield or no shield, the Zord was rocked by the ferocity of Maligore's assault. Even though Adam responded by sending the Megazord into a low baseball slide that caused the lava creature to crash into the forest, they didn't want to take another of his devastating punches.

"Hey, I have an idea," Green Turbo said. "Follow my lead and draw him towards the cliff face. Kat, get the jets ready."

The Zord slowly backed up, allowing Maligore to think he had them on the defensive. A few swipes with the Megazord's fists ensured that they kept its attention as they drew it up toward the top of the cliff.

"We're running out of room Adam," Yellow Turbo pointed out.

"Engage Mega Turbo Jets, now!" Green Turbo instructed as the Megazord took another step back and floated in the air.

The result was as expected, Maligore stopped in his tracks, trying to work out what to do next. The Megazord was already ahead of him, leapfrogging over the monster which was finding it difficult to turn in such a narrow area.

"Turbo Power Punch!" Red Ranger called.

The Megazord charged forward, waiting until it was within a few feet of the demon before spinning around and landing a right hook that knocked Maligore off balance.

"Manoeuvre into bulldoze position!" Red Turbo ordered.

Green Turbo grinned. "Coordinates locked!"

"Position secured!" Pink Turbo added. "Let's do it!"

"This is way cool!" Justin cried, summing up the group's feelings.

The Rangers braced themselves as Turbo Megazord blasted forward into Maligore and knocked him screaming over the cliff and into the sea below.

"Operation cool down! Yes!" Yellow Turbo exclaimed.

Maligore screamed as he plunged into the water. A loud explosion occurred from below water as Divatox's Subcraft submerged quickly, barely missing being hit. The volcano shaking increased.

the cliffs and into the sea below where it exploded.

"Yahoo!" Blue Turbo yelled. "We did it!"

The others grinned. For a moment there they hadn't been sure.

* * *

Subcraft

"No ... Maligore ... all my plans the money the jewels ... the furs I want it all I deserve it all ..." She paused, glancing down at the Golden Key still in her palm. "On the other hand I've always had the worst taste in men! Calls himself a Flame of Destruction and loses to water, pathetic. I promise you, Rygog, the Power Rangers will pay for this one day! I never accept defeat!"

* * *

The volcano rumbled ominously as the Subcraft sailed away. The Malikayas ran down the mountain, seeking cover from their god's might. Kimberly, Jason and the Liariaris ran frantically as the tunnel crumbled around them.

"We have to get them out of here," Adam said, as he noticed their friends. "That butane bozo was the only thing keeping this volcano in check."

"Right!" Tommy called. "Shift out of Turbo"

The Megazord separated as the others approached. Kimberly and Jason summoned the Pink Firebird and Red Dragon Zords, and teleported themselves at the Liarians aboard before the group headed off.

* * *

Power Chamber

There was a great of celebration when the Rangers returned. The Turbo Rangers, the Morphin team, Rocky and the Liarians stood behind Alpha, listening as Tommy recanted the tales of what had occurred.

"I'm sorry we couldn't get your key back," the Red Turbo Ranger told the small wizard.

Lerigot made an odd noise that Alpha translated as meaning that he understood.

"I assure you Lerigot that we will do everything possible to ensure that it is removed from Divatox's possession," Zordon rumbled.

"Yeah that much power in her hands..." Zack shivered at the thought.

"In the meantime we will return you to your world where the atmosphere will not affect you. You will be safe there from Divatox's forces since she would never think to look for you there. And without you to wield the Golden Key, her options will be more limited."

"I'm really going to miss you, Lerigot," Kat said, reaching forward to hug the small wizard.

Justin shyly approached the Liarians shyly. Lerigot, sensing his intention, held his hand to the side of the boy's face and then nodded, pointing to Bethel.

"Can I hold her?" Justin asked.

Yara nodded and handed over the child.

"Hey, little guy. It must be great to have your whole family together again."

Lerigot smiled sympathetically and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. The other Rangers exchanged glances, realising that after being thrown into action, Justin had not yet come to understand what it meant to be a part of the team.

"Justin, I know it's not the same, but you're part of a very special family now," Tanya told him.

"How come, I'm not a Power Ranger anymore," Justin pointed out.

The Rangers were confused. Of course he was a Ranger.

"What do you mean?" Adam asked.

"Rocky's back is fixed, doesn't he want his job back?"

"Justin, once the Turbo powers have been bestowed, they are yours and only yours. From this moment on, you are the Blue Turbo Ranger," Zordon explained. "While it was never my intention to grant them to somebody so young, you have proven yourself worthy of the position."

"Yeah that's right," Tommy told him. "Like it or not, you're a Ranger and that's something you can't just walk away from. Ask Jason and the others about it some time."

"When you're ready, we'll help you find others to hold the the Turbo powers," Adam explained. "But the choice will be yours."

"Indeed," Zordon agreed. "For now though Tommy, Adam, Tanya and Katherine will hold the Turbo powers while keeping their Zeo powers in reserve. Listen to your fellow Rangers, Justin, and they will help you to learn more about your new role."

"And it doesn't matter who you choose," Tommy assured him, "we are your family."

"You deserve this, Justin," Rocky assured him. "Besides, my back still needs time to heal and I have my Zeo powers if I need them."

"I'll make you proud Rocky. I promise." He stopped. "I'm really hungry."

"Alpha, perhaps you need to check to make sure the powers are the only thing Justin inherited from Rocky," Kim suggested.

They all laughed as Tommy glanced at the clock.

"Well guys I guess there's just one thing left to take care of. And we better rock..."

* * *

Angel Grove Arena

The crowd stood, cheering as Tommy, Adam and Jason kicked major butt in the ring. Katherine and Tanya stood with a group of children from the shelter, Justin, Kimberly and Ernie beside them. Around the stadium the other Rangers were cheering their friends on and enjoying the match.

The three guys flew into the air, swing kicking their challengers. The opposing team's coach threw in the towel and the Referee jumped in to stop the fight. The crowd went wild as the MC took the stage, missing the outraged face of Karl Ziktor as the industrialist realised that his plans had been ruined again.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! ... After seven minutes, ten seconds into the competition ... the National Championship title goes to the Angel Grove Team!"

The crowd erupted as the MC handed Tommy a trophy and a check. Fans ran into the ring as Tommy handed the check to Kat.

"Looks like the shelter's not going: to be closing anytime soon," he smiled as he held the trophy over his head and gave a cry of triumph.

**End **


End file.
